“Here Rover”. Well, not quite, but almost. A robotically-augmented walker for older adults- This walker is armed with guidance software and sensors. It can park itself and come running when the user signals for it.

“Users sometimes park their walkers out of the way, forcing them to rely on others to retrieve the walker or to walk unaided….

Out of 41 walkers observed during two periods of observation, 18 (44%) were parked out of reach or outside of the room where the user was located. Eight users (20%) were observed parking their own walkers out of immediate reach, and 10 staff caretakers or other residents (24%) placed walkers out of reach. We inferred from these observations that users (or staff, in a communal facility) often attempt to park their walkers unobtrusively and by doing so, put these
walkers out of reach.”

The walker was designed by the School of Computer Science, at Carnegie Melon University in Pittsburgh, and has some rather unique and exciting attributes. Aside from being at ones beck and call, the walker also has a guidance and mapping system that can help users get to indoor pre-programmed locations. It can guide a user to such places as a cafeteria or other location thus avoiding hazardous areas and wandering.

“The sensors and mapping software used for remote parking and retrieval also can be used to provide navigational assistance and distance feedback, increasing the walker’s appeal and usability in large indoor environments. In the prototype, navigational assistance was provided to the user in the form of a continuously updated map and large arrow displayed on a screen attached to the walker, making it easy for users to discreetly reorient themselves and arrive independently at their destination.”