Cadence: Assistive Wearable for Parkinson’s Disease

Many people living with Parkinson’s Disease experience a multitude of difficulties with their gait due to the progressive deterioration of motor symptoms, significantly impacting both the quality of life and mental well-being. Rhythmic sensory cues, such as visual, auditory, and haptic signals, help establish consistent gait patterns and mitigate freezing of gait episodes. Although commonly used by occupational therapists, they’re mostly limited to clinical or controlled environments, hindering real-world application for Parkinson’s patients. Advancements in sensory cueing technology offer promise for developing assistive devices that could improve mobility and daily life participation for Parkinson’s patients.

Cadence represents a reimagined shoe integrating validated cueing technologies into a familiar design. Featuring an adjustable green laser-line and vibratory stimulation through small motors in the soles, it facilitates walking initiation and maintenance. The laser-line guides step placement, while haptic feedback enhances sensory perception. Prioritizing wearability for individuals with Parkinson’s, Cadence ensures intuitive use without adding burdensome tasks. Key to this project was extensive research, engagement with professionals and users, to identify market gaps and effective cueing modalities. Visual cueing, particularly light projection, emerged as promising. Design development followed, addressing footwear and sensory issues, with expert validation guiding iterative prototyping.

Cadence introduces purpose-built assistive technology into the market, potentially reducing healthcare burden and expenditures by minimizing hospitalizations and pharmacological interventions. Societally, it enhances mobility and independence for individuals with Parkinson’s, fostering greater participation in daily life and improving overall quality of life. Furthermore, by transforming conventional aids into fashionable accessories, Cadence aims to reduce stigma around medicalised interventions, redirecting focus from disability challenges to fostering a more positive perception. Environmentally, Cadence explores modularity and reusable design to maximize part longevity, contributing to sustainability efforts. Overall, it positively impacts individuals, healthcare systems, and the environment through its purposeful design.

The redesign of the shoe’s key touch points prioritizes enhanced wearability for individuals with Parkinson’s. Crafted from premium leather, the shoe features a large openable back that expands accessibility for foot insertion. Replacing traditional laces with convenient Velcro straps simplifies fastening. Wider soles enhance balance and stability, reducing the risk of toe-curling and swelling. Additionally, the shoe integrates wireless charging to provide users with a seamless way to charge the cueing units (laser line and vibration motors). The cueing units activate upon foot contact. Upon detecting foot strike force, a force sensor embedded in the insole triggers the laser diode and vibrators, programmed to briefly vibrate at each step. The laser diode remains illuminated under the weight of the foot and automatically turns off when the foot is lifted off the ground, as determined by the force sensor. Additionally, the cueing units are modular, designed to be removable from the shoe itself, enhancing flexibility and ease of maintenance.