'Colt' Motorised Ambulation Device

For Australia’s aging population, walking and exercise are paramount to leading an independent and healthy life. However necessary, as we age this becomes much more difficult. ~70% of adults over the age of 65 receive insufficient exercise, and incurable gait complications continue to proliferate. Mobility devices exist to supplement this issue, however none come without compromise. Crutches are tiring to use over long periods of time, frame walkers create long term postural issues, and wheelchairs exacerbate gait complications through inactivity. The goal of the ‘Colt’ project was to create a solution that took the outstanding ergonomic framework of elbow crutches, and combine them with the extended usage of a wheelchair or frame walker. This project led to a motorised solution that enables assisted standing and walking, and uses predictive technology to both provide a reliable weight-bearing device, as well as move without requiring physical exertion from the user.