Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of Smart Walkers for Elderly Users: A Survey

Worldwide, the elderly population above the age of 60 is increasing a lot, leading to more people experiencing physical and cognitive impairments that affect mobility. This brings a massive demand for assistive devices, such as walkers, canes, and rollators. Despite the availability of such devices at low cost, elders face many challenges while walking. To address these, smart walkers incorporating sensors have been developed to enhance support and improve quality of life. This article critically surveys the functionalities of existing smart walkers in terms of physical support, cognitive, and sensor assistance, and healthcare monitoring, discussing their potential, challenges, and future research directions for improvement.