Vivante 00 — Adam Zhou

Vivante 00

Smart walker

Vivante 00 is an affordable smart walker that combines exoskeleton technology with a robust wheel structure to enhance mobility and provide safer, more reliable movement for the elderly.

01 About the problem.

An older couple walking together on a city street, seen from behind

17.3% (30%)

Aging population

In the U.S., Americans 65 and older numbered 57.8 million in 2022. They represented 17.3% of the population, more than 1 in every 6 Americans. In countries like Japan the situation is much worse.

$1.6T

Silver economy

Silver economy market size was valued at USD 1.6 trillion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 2.9 trillion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 8.10% during the forecast period 2024–2031.

Black-and-white photo of an older woman who has fallen on the grass

The problem of falling down.

38,000

Case fatality

Falls among adults 65 and older caused over 38,000 deaths in 2021, making it the leading cause of injury death for that group.

3,000,000

Scale

In 2021, emergency departments recorded nearly 3 million visits for older adult falls.

50%

Outdoors

A study released in 2017 found that nearly 50 percent of falls among older adults occur outdoors.

Eight factors

01 · Sensation

Your eyesight, hearing, and reflexes might not be as sharp as they were when you were younger.

02 · Internal

Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, or problems with your thyroid, nerves, feet, or blood vessels can affect your balance and lead to a fall.

03 · Rush moment

Conditions that cause rushed movement to the bathroom, such as incontinence, may also increase the chance of falling.

04 · Cognitive

Older adults with mild cognitive impairment or certain types of dementia are at higher risk of falling.

05 · Muscle

Age-related loss of muscle mass (known as sarcopenia), problems with balance and gait, and blood pressure that drops too much when you get up from lying down or sitting (called postural hypotension) are all risk factors for falling.

06 · Foot problem

Foot problems that cause pain, and unsafe footwear such as backless shoes or high heels, can also increase your risk of falling.

07 · Drug effect

Some medications can increase a person’s risk of falling because they cause side effects such as dizziness or confusion. The more medications you take, the more likely you are to fall.

08 · Safety hazard

Safety hazards in the home or community environment can also cause falls.

“The factors that may cause elderly falls are multi-dimensional, with at least eight key aspects identified. This means our solution must be comprehensive rather than addressing only a single aspect.”

INSIGHT 1

Medical exoskeletons with prices: $80,000, $50,000, $5,000 and $799

Medical level

When elderly use medical level exoskeleton they still need crutch to keep balance.

Consumer level

Most of the medical exoskeleton is insanely expensive while also the consumer level doing just fine.

INSIGHT 2

Walkers and wheelchairs with prices: $679, $129, $2,099 and $1,099

Walker product

When elderly use medical level exoskeleton they still need crutch to keep balance.

Wheelchair product

On other perspective, we have more mature mobility products on the market that are more affordable but not as solve the problem.

SOLUTION COST 1

Exoskeleton drawings showing motors and control parts

Expensive motor

Such as big brushless motor or servo motor.

Control system

The mechanical and control parts to keep the machine balance, including algorithm.

SOLUTION COST 2

Robots and robotic platforms that balance on wheels

Mechanic balance

Such as big brushless motor or servo motor.

Mechanic support

Use fewer joint/motor. Design a balance structure based on robust wheel.

Design statement

In order to improve accessibility and enhance safety for the elderly during outdoor activities, I want to greatly reduce both the likelihood of falls and the severity of related injuries, by integrating lightweight exoskeleton support with a compact robotic chassis to create a more stable and intelligent mobility system.

02 Explore and develop.

01 · Explore

Mood board.

Exploring elements between outdoor, lifestyle, wellness and warm emotions.

02 · Develop

Design development.

Early explorations using sketch, AI, CAD and quick renders for Vivante 00, with the focus on how the engineering parts fit in to user bodies and support crucial parts. These studies include different handles, engineering directions and silhouettes to define a friendly and comfortable shape for daily companionship.

03 · Engineer

Eight packages

Engineering package.

I studied existing rehabilitation exoskeletons and mobility aids and, together with research on key functional components, explored several possible engineering packages. Some concepts focus on transforming between different configurations, while others emphasize simplicity and portability. I also examined potential interaction models: how users would operate, wear and integrate the device into their daily routines.