DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SMART IOT-ENABLED AXILLARY CRUTCH FOR ENHANCED MOBILITY

Mobility aid equipment is fundamental to people with physical disabilities and lower-limb injury as well as elderly persons with mobility issues. Nevertheless, the traditional axillary crutches are not more than mechanical support without smart surveillance and emergency response. This paper proposes the design and implementation of a Smart IoT-Linked Axillary Crutch that will increase user safety and monitoring of rehabilitation. The suggested system is based on a lightweight, foldable aluminum crutch with integrated sensors, such as load sensors to analyze the distribution of weight and sensors based on accelerometry to sense tilting to detect the posture and falls. A microcontroller constantly runs sensor data to recognize abnormal conditions. GPS module can track the exact location in real time in case of an emergency, and GSM/Wi-Fi communication modules can send notifications and location information to the caregivers. The system guarantees the provision of medical help in time, enhances user confidence, and facilitates remote supervision. The prototype created exhibits a practical, portable, and cost-effective smart mobility platform to be applied in healthcare.