Ed Yeates reporting
Elderly people with Alzheimer's disease may soon have a new kind of walker that tells them where they're going and how to get back home again.
The unique invention involves a partnership between the University of Pittsburgh and Utah State University.
Vladimir Kulyukin and Aliasgar Kutiyanawala are working on what is called the "iWalker," or intelligent walker.
It simply allows elderly patients who are losing their cognitive abilities to find their way.
Dr. Vladimir Kulyukin, a USU computer researcher, said, "It basically localizes you at important landmarks in the environment and reminds you about the direction in which you are traveling and where you are at the moment."
At specific locations, the wheels role over sensors. Once vibrated, they localize the iWalker, which responds both audibly and on a screen.
For the demonstration, the sensors are under temporary mats. But in an extended care center or an assisted living center, they could be permanently installed under the carpet.
The sensors are not only passive, meaning they don't need any external power; they're also extremely rugged against foot traffic.
The walker eventually will do even more, perhaps notifying users about dinner time, or when to take a prescription and then guiding them to the pharmacy.
Is there a market for this device? "The projection is that by the year 2030, one out of five Americans will be over 65," said Kulyukin.
Unlike expensive robotic walkers that do everything for the user, this system costs only about $4,000.
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