Stair Climbing With a Walker

Stair Climbing With a Walker - open-source assistive technology prototype by the Cornell University community

About this project

The device is a rollator, retrofitted with two 3-wheel stair-climbing wheels, and a telescoping door-stopper allow the user to easily traverse up stairs and through any push/pull door-way. The device is intended for an elderly woman who is reliant on supplemental oxygen because of a respiratory illness. She gets winded easily by dragging the rollator up and down the stairs and through two doorways to her apartment entrance. This could potentially be extended to any person who is capable of navigating a stairway and doorway with a rollator, but struggles to do so for whatever physical reason.

The challenge

The problem is that it is difficult to 1) traverse stairs and 2) doorways with a rollator. The stairs are an issue because a typical 4-wheel rollator cannot be rolled up or down stairs in a smooth fashion. The doorways are an issue because for a typical push/pull doorway, with no holding system, the door must be held by the person’s body while maneuvering the rollator through the doorway. The challenge was to develop a lightweight modification to a walker which would allow ascension with ease.

Who it helps

Roberta uses a walker and lives in a multi-flight apartment building. She struggles to climb stairs. The challenge was to develop a way for her to go upstairs easily.

Project details

The build files for Stair Climbing With a Walker are free to download from this page - open source, shared by TOM: Tikkun Olam Makers.

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