Intelligent Sit-to-Stand (iSTS)

Chung, Colton; Chelak, Steven; Puch, Sophia; Pham, Brittney; Sayegh, Miriam

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Intelligent Sit-to-Stand (iSTS)

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Each year, nearly 32,000 elderly die as a result of fall injuries (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). 41% of the falls which the elderly experience in their old age are a result of poor transition from sitting to standing (Pozaic et al, 2016). These sit-to-stand transition movements could be greatly improved by exercises which focus on building strength in the lower body and core are recommended to the elderly as a precaution to falls, and helps them improve their balance. Such devices exist in the rehabilitation and physical therapy market, but there is a gap in these devices which does not allow the patient to track their progress and see quantitative results for strength improvement. This MQP develops a mechanical and sensor-loading sit-to-stand device for rehabilitative use. The device is designed with cross-functional handlebars to allow the patient to achieve a standing position from a variety of different holds, which simultaneously increases or decreases the pressure they put on their lower body as they stand. Testing of our device indicated that users could adapt their rehabilitation process based on the different handlebars, and that the sensors are a good measure for tracking the patient’s progress to rebuilding their muscle strength.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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