Cantilevered Guide Arm Walking Aid Torque Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing walking aids are limited in detecting obstacles beyond the user's direct path and require continuous panning, leading to arm fatigue and potential physical contact with objects, which is inconvenient and unsafe for visually impaired or disabled users.
Innovation Solution
A handheld electro-mechanical walking aid with a cantilevered guide arm, electronic motor, distance sensors, and a camera that detects objects and obstacles, generating a torque to guide the user away from them, providing tactile feedback and optional audio or visual cues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a user continuously pans the walking aid from side-to-side to detect obstacles, then the detection coverage is improved, but arm fatigue increases and the risk of physical contact with objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical panning operation with an electronic motor assembly that automatically rotates the guide arm and sensor array. The motor assembly receives control signals from the controller to rotate the guide arm through a full 360-degree circle, eliminating the need for continuous manual arm movement while maintaining comprehensive obstacle detection coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The walking aid performs self-service by automatically detecting and identifying objects in all directions without requiring continuous user intervention. The sensor array continuously scans the environment, the processor analyzes sensor data to identify objects, and the system provides tactile feedback through the guide arm's position, allowing the device to serve itself in the detection and navigation function.
2Device complexity
If the walking aid only detects objects directly in front of the user, then the device complexity is reduced, but the detection capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic detection system where the guide arm and sensor array can rotate through 360 degrees to scan different directions. The system transitions from a static forward-only detection mode to a dynamic multi-directional detection mode, allowing the sensors to actively sweep the environment and detect objects in all directions around the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds angular/directional dimension to the detection capability by rotating the guide arm and sensor array around the user. Instead of only detecting objects in a single forward direction, the system now detects objects in three-dimensional space by sweeping sensors through horizontal and vertical angles, comprehensive spatial coverage.
3Ease of operation
If the walking aid uses a cantilevered guide arm with arm weight to generate torque for guiding the user, then the guidance effectiveness is improved, but the weight of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs the guide arm's own weight as a counterweight to generate the torque needed for guidance. The arm weight is positioned at a distance from the rotation axis to create sufficient moment arm, allowing the system to generate guiding torque without requiring additional heavy motors or counterbalancing mechanisms. The gravitational force on the arm weight provides the counterbalancing effect needed for effective tactile guidance.
4Ease of operation
If the walking aid provides real-time tactile feedback through guide arm rotation, then the user guidance is improved, but the response time and control complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where sensor data from the environment is continuously processed, and the results are immediately translated into tactile feedback through guide arm rotation. The processor analyzes sensor data in real-time to identify objects and determine their positions, then the controller adjusts the guide arm's angular position to provide tactile cues indicating the direction and nature of obstacles, creating a continuous feedback loop between detection and user guidance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively and efficiently alerts users to obstacles in their environment, reducing arm fatigue and the risk of physical contact, while guiding them safely around detected objects.
Implementation Method 1
an arm weight disposed proximal to the second free end and of a concentrated weight of at least approximately 0.2 lbs, and operably configured to translate along an arm translation path and have an operation position along the arm translation path with a longitudinal axis of the cantilevered guide arm member disposed at a substantially perpendicular angle with respect to the front handle surface
Implementation Method 2
an electronic motor assembly with at least one electronic motor electrically coupled to a battery power source; a cantilevered guide arm member operably coupled to the at least one electronic motor
Data Source
AI summary
A handheld electro-mechanical walking aid operably configured to detect objects or obstacles in an ambient environment and guide the user away from the detected obstacles and comprising a handle member for grasping, an electronic motor assembly, a cantilevered guide arm member operably coupled to at least one electronic motor and having an arm weight and a concentrated weight of at least approximately 0.2 lbs, at least one of a distance sensor and a camera operably configured to detect objects spatially displaced from a second free end of the arm member, and an electronic controller operably configured to receive detection of the objects spatially displaced from the second free end and cause selective rotation of the arm member in a direction away from the detected objects to generate a deviation angle θ, thereby causing an impetus to the user holding the handle member through a torque generated by the arm weight.