New walking aid attachment captures data to keep older adults safe at home

A new assistive technology device is helping older adults maintain their independence by attaching to a walker or rollator.

The WalkWise device, developed by US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) alumni, captures data that can be sent to loved ones, therapists, or healthcare providers to help keep adults safe while they remain independent and at home.

Smartwatches and Fitbits are great for tracking movement, the device founders argue, but they were not designed for the type of people for whom collecting movement data is arguably most important: older adults who use mobility aids like walkers.

WalkWise’s device attaches to the front wheel of the walker and runs for about a year on AAA batteries, so users do not have to remember to charge it. It uses an accelerometer to record movement and detect if the walker has tipped over, transmitting info through Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocols to a cellular gateway users plug into the wall.

“It doesn’t use Wi-Fi,” said Peter Chamberlain, Walkwise Founder and CEO. “We work with a lot of low-income seniors who may not have Wi-Fi networks or don’t know their Wi-Fi passwords even if they have it. Ultimately, we try to be the simplest, most discreet system out there for seniors using mobility aids.”

WalkWise’s analytics dashboard is customisable, so a family could get notifications every time a daily walking goal is met. Similarly, an organisation could monitor the movement of a group of patients and only get notifications when something might be wrong.

“We have physical therapists who log in two to three times a day to make sure their patients are doing well, then we have users that never log in but get really important notifications through our system that indicates a patient may need help,” added Peter.

The largest benefit of WalkWise might come not from the falls it detects but the falls it helps prevent. Peter says most organisations using WalkWise report reductions in fall rates, and two users that have quantified their results have seen fall rate reductions of around 40 percent.

“It’s creating a more positive experience around the mobility aid, but it’s also allowing the care providers to have that conversation with someone who isn’t using their mobility aid,” continued Peter. “If someone wasn’t taking the medication prescribed to them, that would be an issue. It’s the same thing with walkers. We want to prevent these dangerous situations.”

For older adults, a change in activity could signal a life-threatening problem. According to the UK Government, around a third of people aged 65 and over, and around half of people aged 80 and over fall at least once a year. Decreased mobility could also signal problems like heart failure, depression, or cognitive decline.

Peter commented: “By tracking the walker, we get a really good picture of what their days look like, how much they’re sitting down, the distances they’re moving, and if there were any changes. It’s also crucially important to understand if there are times when the mobility aid is not being used appropriately and someone is putting themselves at greater risk of falling.”

By allowing family members and others to receive notifications when daily walking goals are met, WalkWise is also encouraging older adults to stay active, which is an important way to maintain health and avoid the kinds of problems that can lead to hospitalisation.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular physical activity is one of the most important things older adults can do for their health.

“It actually creates a positive experience around the walker because with all of these devices, people tend to gamify it,” Peter added.

In one skilled nursing facility, at least two falls were detected in the first two weeks of installation, after WalkWise sent messages to staff members that walkers had tipped over, according to the creators.

“Right now, the state of the art for many health care organisations is driving around to people’s houses or calling them and asking questions that are difficult to respond to accurately,” Peter explained.

“We let you view actionable data for many patients at once, flagging anything out of the ordinary, so it helps prioritise your care delivery and be very effective with the time and people you have. I think remote monitoring is a big part of the solution to the persistent staffing shortages faced by the senior care industry.”

Moving forward, WalkWise will be deploying variations of its device for wheelchairs and canes.