Soft Continuum Robot Airbag Integrated with Passive Walker for Fall Mitigation

We describe the design and prototype development of a soft continuum robotic airbag system, to be deployed from a passive walker. The system can deploy in multiple configurations: to the front, left, or right of the walker depending on the direction of a detected fall. The airbag is inflated in real time using a novel compression system. Results of experiments with the prototype are presented. The system deploys consistently across falls, significantly reducing the g-force of impact.