GRAVITY COMPENSATION WALKER: STRUCTURE AND SAFETY

摘要

Morbid obesity is a widespread problem in the united states. The rate of falls and injures is much higher for obese individuals when compared to individuals of normative weight. Obesity can also impose excessive load to the hip and knee joints during the sit-to stand transition, which is conducive to osteoarthritis and increased sedentariety. In order to help individuals with the aforementioned problems, a sit to stand assistive device can be created that compensates for the subject's lack of propulsive force. This device can reduce the chances of falling while trying to stand and help professionals when aiding these individuals in the healthcare setting. Users can interact with the propulsive loading provided by the device, which can be customizable to their needs. This product is one of the few sit to stand passive, assistive devices allowing the individual to use lower body strength and very minimal upper body strength. The objectives of our device are to be adjustable, help individuals stand without falling forward, be relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and safe for a hospital environment. Structural and stability analysis of the device is here presented, to assess the safety of its use.