Currently shopping centres and other public areas offer options for the disabled and elderly who have trouble getting around, the problem is that there is not a lot offered. For example a shopping centre may have 2 elevators for the entire shopping centre, two elevators that always have long lines, and escalators, leaving the elderly with  no choice but to wait for the elevator and walk to the grocery store from the elevator.

The AutoLock Walking Frame Mach 4 is a walking frame that aims to improve the traversal ability of older people as well as general well being and health of those who need walking frames whilst also making their activities of daily living easier to complete. The new product aims to achieve this by giving users the ability to travel on travelators easily and seamlessly, as well as designing the frame in a way that encourages users to use it properly, to improve their posture when using the frame. 

The solution in its essence is simply to offer the user more options for traversal in their daily activities of living. The design and function of this solution and its features is also very simple. The walking frame castors fall into the grooves on travelators much like how shopping trolleys do, there is then a small plastic piece in the middle of the castors that acts as a brake as it makes contact with the surface of the travelator. This works in such a way that it happens automatically, with the user not needing to press any buttons or exert any force to release the walker once it reaches the end of the travelator as it is released automatically, making a seamless function that requires no thinking on the user’s part. 

The walking frame encourages better posture simply in its design and form alone. Having done extensive research on how to properly use a walking frame and why so many don’t use them properly we believe that our design encourages the user to have proper posture which will result in a much more beneficial product on top of improved comfort.