STTR Phase I: A novel wall-mounted gait assist system to reduce the risk of injuries on stairs and level surfaces

STTR 第一阶段：一种新型壁挂式步态辅助系统，可降低楼梯和水平面上受伤的风险

• 批准号: 2304063
• 负责人: Bradley Burke
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: 2INNOVATE LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2024-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2304063&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; novel; wall; mounted

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is a novel mechanical system which improves the safety of the elderly and disabled while walking on level surfaces and stairs. The novel, wall-mounted system will reduce the risks of injury by mechanically supporting individuals during ambulation, rehabilitation, and eventual in-home gait assistance. The system aims to reduce one of the top reasons for emergency room (ER) visits (nearly 3,000 ER visits in the United States each year) by preventing falls in the home. The solution may also be used in medical facilities to safely ambulate convalescent or acute care patients, especially on stairs. In addition to reducing direct patient injury risks, the technology improves economic and productivity measures by reducing the number of therapists/nurses, relatives, and support workers caring for people with disabilities or those at risk of falls. This STTR Phase I project will demonstrate a novel, mechanical, wall-mounted gait assist that can safely reduce injuries and the risks of falling while walking across flat surfaces and stairs. A harness with an elastic-like tether, mobile trolley, and mechanical braking mechanism for maintaining patient safety will be completed. The individual is connected to a trolley travelling along a wall-side rail providing the variable forces needed to support a patient’s weight in order to minimize risks of injury. In the event of a fall, the trolley’s brake automatically activates, absorbing the shock with a vest/tether to prevent the user from falling to the floor. Following design engineering and prototype completion, a pilot proof of concept study will be conducted during Phase I to demonstrate the potential for patient use in safely walking without falling and causing injury.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是一种新的机械系统，它改善了老年人和残疾人在水平面和楼梯上行走时的安全。这种新颖的壁挂式系统将通过在行走、康复和最终的家庭步态辅助过程中对个人进行机械支持来减少受伤的风险。该系统旨在通过防止在家中摔倒来减少急诊室(ER)就诊的主要原因之一(美国每年有近3,000次急诊室就诊)。该解决方案也可用于医疗设施，以安全地移动康复或急性护理患者，特别是在楼梯上。除了减少患者直接受伤的风险外，这项技术还通过减少护理残疾人或跌倒风险的治疗师/护士、亲属和支持人员的数量，改善了经济和生产力措施。这个STTRI期项目将展示一种新颖的、机械的、壁挂式步态辅助装置，可以安全地减少受伤和在平坦的表面和楼梯上行走时摔倒的风险。为维护患者安全，将完成一套带有弹性系绳、移动手推车和机械制动机制的安全带。患者被连接到沿墙侧轨道行驶的手推车上，该手推车提供支撑患者体重所需的可变力，以将受伤风险降至最低。一旦摔倒，手推车的刹车就会自动启动，用背心/系绳吸收震动，防止使用者摔倒在地板上。在设计工程和原型完成后，将在第一阶段进行试点概念验证研究，以证明患者使用安全行走而不摔倒和造成伤害的潜力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。