Catalyst Awardee

Project Description

A Proposal for Innovating Elderly Mobility: Smart Knee Brace Development

Yen-Jung Chiu, PhD |Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ming Chuan University
Competition Sponsor: Academia Sinica
Awardee Year: 2024

The motivation of this project is to enhance the quality of life for older people. Muscle loss, decreased mobility, and deterioration of physical function increase the risk of falls as people age. Due to poor repair capabilities, recovering from injuries becomes difficult, leading to a sharp decline in quality of life. To address this issue, the project proposes the development of a smart knee brace that combines IoT technology with medical electronic devices, allowing for flexible adjustment of knee brace strength. While reducing the risk of falls, this knee brace can also help the elderly strengthen their muscles, promote tissue repair, and improve their overall health and independence. The smart knee brace is expected to revolutionize elderly mobility care, reduce the risk of falls, enhance muscle strength, and promote independent living, improving the quality of life in old age and alleviating the societal healthcare burden.

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