PAM-AID. Personal Adaptive Mobility Aid for the Frail and Elderly Visually Impaired. D3.1. User Requirement Study

Rapport, 1997

User requirements for a new type of mobility aid - PAM AID - for the frail and elderly visually impaired have been elicitied through interviews with users and carers in three countries: England, Ireland and Sweden. The results demonstrate that present mobility aids do not provide both balance support and navigation assistance, both functions necessary for the frail and visually impaired user. Users as well as carers regard the new aid as potentially useful and most users are interested in trying and/or using the device. Users prefer a simple, lightweight aid, similar to present walking frames, and equipped with facilities for resting, storing, and for attracting attention. The specification of tentative requirements will form the basis for the development and design of a first generation of prototypes. The prototypes will be evaluated in user trials, providing important information for the validation and elaboration of the user requirements.