Assistive Walker Testing

Context

• During summer 2021, I worked to test a novel type of assistive walker for Project WTR, the group developing the walker.
• These tests compared existing types of walker with the novel type to prove that the novel type requires less force to move in certain directions, with the goal of a patent application.
  • As far as I know, the patent is still in the approval process. (Hence the redacted images, and lack of detail about the specific nature of the novel walker.)

Responsibilities

Sole

• Designing and executing physical tests that demonstrate the novel walker’s specific value.
• Designing and implementing a self-contained data-collection “rig” (see the header image) attached to the walker that measures relevant forces during testing.
• Communicating my findings effectively to the Project WTR team.

Skills

• Embedded C
  • The main sensing component of the data collection platform was an Arduino I had laying around hooked up to various pressure sensors.
  • This Arduino was wired to the pressure sensors, analogous to the microcontroller onboard a sensor breakout board.
  • This was my first embedded programming experience, so the script was quite simple — just processing data from the sensors and writing it out over Serial.
• Python
  • The script running on the Raspberry Pi was a Python script that collected data from the Arduino over Serial.
  • Collecting data from multiple tests was a breeze because I implemented a button that saved existing data to a new file and, after a short delay, begun collecting data again.
• Embedded Linux
  • I used old Raspberry Pi I had laying around (in fact, the one later I used for the soundbox project) as the main controller for the Arduino-sensor.
  • I also used it as a way to easily obtain recorded data through scp.
• Test Design
  • I identified a key metric that this novel type of walker improved on: the amount of force used to move the walker.
  • I then designed tests that would capture the novel walker’s improvement over current market leaders.
    • The pressure sensors were used as a proxy for the amount of force applied during more complicated tests (navigating a room full of furniture).
    • A force-meter was used for simple tests (how much force does it take to move the walker forwards?).