ALFRED
A walker for seniors of 2030; it follows you
Alfred was recognized as a winner in the Core77 Student: Strategy and Research category in 2020. Please find more on the project here.
It was also IDEA 2020 finalist in the Student Designs category.
Envisioning a new business that meets the needs, wants and desires of residential consumers in North America, with automation and robotics based solutions and sustainable competitive advantages in 2030.
By 2030, all baby boomers will be of age 65 and older
Source: The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 National Population Projections.
There would be around 74 million Americans of age 65 and above, that is around 18.5 million (25% of 74M) consumers will be looking for walking aids.
Source: Consumer affairs report_Use of walking aids jumps 50% in 10 years
They are almost impossible to move up the stairs
Alfred Pennyworth
How can we design a walker to shift it from a cumbersome and embarrassing device to a reliable and highly skilled aid just like Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred?
A key acronym for the future of mobility is ACES, which stands for Autonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared. Alfred integrates the first three drivers, ACE, into a personal (not shared), assistive mobility aid.
Alfred walker is strategically designed for 2030, the year when all the Baby Boomers will reach the retirement age of 65 and above. It leverages the fact that baby boomers have come to appreciate the convenience of technology and connected objects and hence, desire a product beyond the abilities of current offerings in the assistive mobility aids category.
Controls Interface on the handlebar
Height Adjustment
Orientation through narrow spaces
Alfred is the walker that would...
Always be at your beck and call
Voice-based interactions
Walk by your side, at your pace
Assistive mode when laser rangefinder scanners study and follow the user's gait
Allow you to take a break whenever and wherever you want
Integrated collapsible seat
Provide you support where there is none
Stair climbing wheels
Technological feasibility
The assistive mode is used when one wants Alfred to walk beside them or hold onto it while walking.
The autonomous mode is for when the user wants the walker to go away and park itself to its charging dock.
Strategic Roadmap
"Alfred is smart, sleek, and a companion that our aging community needs. With the population of older adults gradually on the rise, Alfred is a great solution for those needing extra security and assistance with ease. As a researcher of assistive ambulatory devices, I find Alfred to be a great upgrade to the current medical model’s present in the market. With the ability to assist with common challenges experienced by aging adults such as stairs and fatigue, Alfred secures the worries of social isolation and fear of falling. Research shows most aging adults resist mobility aids because of the stigmatization of appearing “old” yet Alfred’s sleek and modern design may change the status quo of aids to be more inclusive, accepted, and hip. As a Geriatrician specialized in walkers, I am keen on Alfred and the wave of necessary change it can bring to the aging community worldwide!"
Mercedes Fernandez,
M.A. Kinesiology emphasis in Geriatrics