Halo

Halo, an intelligent walking cane with a smartphone that automatically adjusts its height by calculating the height of the ground, prevents accidents and provides comfort to elderly people. When using a conventional cane, not being able to adjust the height of the cane while stair walking increases injury development and consequently reduces comfort and control to walk. In addition, since the height of stairs in different places is non-uniform, measuring stairs’ height and adjusting the proper height of the cane whenever stair walking makes the process time-consuming and difficult. To solve this problem, Halo combines a cane and a smartphone, allowing seniors to easily adjust the length of the cane according to the height of the stairs. Halo uses a laser range sensor to calculate the height of stairs. Upon controlling the button on the handle, the cane's height is automatically adjusted to the stairs. Also, changes in a cane’s height can be displayed on a smartphone. Through this performance, Halo offers walking stability by reducing the pressure on the arms and preventing seniors from bending their posture when stair walking. Another noticeable feature of Halo is its smartphone holder. Halo applies a familiar robot face to the holder to bring the seniors closer to the cane. The holder not only rotates to detect obstacles and terrain by attaching a smartphone but also provides emotional interaction for seniors. The flexible phone allows a screen to be used without blind spots when the holder is rotated reducing the risk of accidents. 2-axis gears and DC motors are installed for customised movement. Red Dot Award: Design Concept | Concept | Smart Phones, Tablets and Wearable Technology