StairMate: Design and Evaluation of a Walking Assistive Device Along the Handrail for Older Adults

Enhancing accessibility for older adults, particularly addressing challenges related to seniors navigating stairs, constitutes a significant theme in current human-computer interaction research. This paper details the design and development of an economical, small-scale walking assistive device, StairMate, to substantially increase the balance in older adults during stair use. The device can facilitate the convenient carriage of daily necessities for older adults and support ascending and descending stairs through its front handle. The preliminary verification of StairMate’s effectiveness in assisting elderly individuals in navigating stairs is conducted by measuring surface electromyography activity in muscles. The results demonstrate over 65 \(\%\) increased lower limb stability for elderly individuals ascending stairs and over 55 \(\%\) during descent. The device offers a practical approach to accessible design, bringing great convenience to daily life and enhancing the living environment for older adults.