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More portable.
Yet, with better support.
RESEARCH & IDENTIFY PROBLEM SPACE
Standard canes are not stable enough and might cause falls.
Quad canes are more stable but less portable.
Canes on the current market have some flaws that cannot be neglected. The most common canes have single-point support. Although being portable and convenient, the standard cane is unstable under certain situations and may cause a disastrous fall for elderly people.
Another type is quad cane. It has better stability, but with increased volume it inevitably reduced portability. Furthermore, both are not stable enough on uneven grounds due to the limited contact area.
Gecko Cane combines the advantages of both canes, being portable and stable. It utilizes biomimicry to create better stability, and with micro-structure, it provides better comfort. Add on technology enhance the overall safety of the elderly.
Portability
Stability
Safety
Comfort
Standard Cane
O
X
X
X
Quad Cane
X
O
O
X
Gecko Cane
O
O
O
O
GOAL
Create canes that are both portable and stable.
METHODS
Observation, Human-Centered Design, User Research, Biomimicry.
Gecko biomimicry.
Geckos' toes can control the grip by bending their toe and change the angles of their toe. To imitate this effect, I extended the pattern from the bottom of the cane to the edges.
Gecko-toe-like pattern.
Better stability.
As the force applied to the cane, the micro-structure on the edges will contact the ground due to deformations. As a result, the grip will increase with the enlarged contact area. When the external force is removed, the grip will reduce so that the cane can be picked up easily. This design makes the cane more stable on rugged surfaces, maintaining its stability anywhere.
Grip raises with pressure.
Stable on rugged surfaces.
Increased portability.
Comfortable to use.
Traditional canes have hard tips with little cushion. Causing pain in the wrist in the long term usage. The honeycomb micro-structure of Gecko Cane can absorb impact and reduce vibration. Thus, reduce the soreness of the wrist.
Absorb impact.
Reduce wrist discomfort.
Emergency SOS button.
Fall is disastrous for elderly people, and having first-aid as soon as possible is very important. To have even better safety, the cane has a built-in SOS button. The SOS function allows them to easily summon help in case any emergency happens. The cane will automatically contact emergency services as soon as people press the button.
Built-in emergency SOS.
Summon help in real-time.
Safer at night.
A poorly lighted environment is dangerous for the old. The cane is equipped with a flashlight, which enables users to see clearer in the dark, preventing falls due to bad visibility. The body of the cane is coated with reflective material so that the users can be seen in the dark.
Flashlight equipped.
Reflective body.
Designed from 2019 - 2020.
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