Brief and project description
The device integrates a network of sensors that continuously capture posture and gait data, allowing therapists to establish reference patterns and assess a patient's progress over time. It can be operated in several modes: fully manual under the user's own control; remotely guided by a physiotherapist; in a pre-programmed autonomous mode that follows a set route while adjusting to and avoiding obstacles; and in a mixed mode that blends user input with assisted control. This flexibility makes it suitable for demanding clinical cases — including patients with uncoordinated movements or ataxia who, for lack of stable solutions, might otherwise be directed to a wheelchair.
Conceived as a demonstration project, EML set out to prove the technological and clinical advantages of these multifunctional walkers in the healthcare market. The solution was validated in real clinical settings, namely the Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation services of Braga Hospital and the Academic Clinical Centre, and gave rise to master's and doctoral research in Biomedical Engineering.