Abstract: A smart walking assistance device with a walker frame having generally vertical sides and an intersecting front. Wheels located at both ends of a bottom edge of the sides. A soft robotic sensing handle extends in a C shape along the upper edges of the sides and front. The sensing handle has multiple contiguous air filled chambers, each containing a pressure sensor for producing a pressure signal representing the pressure within the chamber. A microcontroller unit receives the pressure signals from the pressure sensors of the handle chambers and determines the status of at least one of the device and a user of the device based on the pressure signals. A stabilization mechanism is driven by the microcontroller so as to stabilize the walker in response to the determined status of at least one of the walker and the user.

Abstract: A smart walking assistance device with a walker frame having generally vertical sides and an intersecting front. Wheels located at both ends of a bottom edge of the sides. A soft robotic sensing handle extends in a C shape along the upper edges of the sides and front. The sensing handle has multiple contiguous air filled chambers, each containing a pressure sensor for producing a pressure signal representing the pressure within the chamber. A microcontroller unit receives the pressure signals from the pressure sensors of the handle chambers and determines the status of at least one of the device and a user of the device based on the pressure signals. A stabilization mechanism is driven by the microcontroller so as to stabilize the walker in response to the determined status of at least one of the walker and the user.