Project Overview

Traditional walking sticks have a tendency to fall over easily even when care is taken to find a suitable rest for them. In Many situations it simply is not possible to find a place to rest the stick, which makes attending to simpler tasks such a searching for a wallet, or to lift something from a supermarket shelf difficult. In many instances people in this position expose themselves higher risk for physical injury should they fall over whilst trying to hold onto the walking stick whilst trying to execute what should be a simple task at the same time. Inevitably walking sticks which are rested against some suitable surface will fall over. Having to bend over to retrieve the implement places the user in a position where the risk of falling is markedly increased.
The IQStick is a new approach to walking stick design. Using modern lightweight high strength materials, a design emerged for a product that overcomes many of the problems associated with traditional design.
An easier to use walking stick will make for a more active life, and a safer one , for many people.

Organisation

Hilton Beck Investments Pty LTD

Team

Hilton Beck
David Nevell
John Nevell

Project Brief

An easy to use design, reducing the thousands of unnecessary falls and injuries due to not using a walking stick because it is out of reach or fallen over, or going to be too difficult to rest somewhere.
A design which provides support and balance for the user, which will stand unsupported when simply released by the user onto a relatively flat surface, or when placed on a slight incline , or on an uneven surface such as that where a carpet or mat meets the floor. Should the stick fall over an easy and safe way to right it is desired. These requirements had to be achieved with a design that is aesthetically pleasing, lightweight, and adjustable to suit user characteristics. The design must be consistent in its ability to deliver the preferred features.
The IQStick design includes further innovative features such as the glow in the dark handle which makes it easy to locate at night time, and also a degree of colour/fashion customising by the user.

Project Innovation/Need

Using lightweight carbon fibre for the shaft, coupled to an innovative "golfball" style handle at the upper end, and attached to a weighted base at the lower end allows this design to function as per the design brief.
The base has been designed so that it is safe to use on open style stairs. Should the stick fall over, it can easily be righted by simply pressing on its edge. The base contains the weights which can easily be adjusted to be optimised for the individual user
The shaft is easily adjustable for height, to be set by the user. The handle has a light activated glow in the dark pigment within its cavity, and once activated will emit a glow for between six and eight hours making it easy to locate in darkness.
The handle and base can both be customised by the user to achieve a fashion accessory.Reducing falls which cause thousands of hospitalizations annually can be achieved by having an aid which is always at hand, night and day. Reducing falls which cause thousands of hospitalizations annually can be achieved by having an aid which is always at hand, night and day.

Design Challenge

The challenge is to find a design using materials which provide enough strength to support the user, whilst achieving the lowest possible centre of gravity, required to achieve the standalone, partial self righting features which are the major features of the design brief. The final product needs to have user appeal, which will translate into it being used by more people, and also more frequently in situations by people who would benefit from a support/balance aid who might not use a traditional walking stick due to the problems of accessibility often associated with these designs.
Finding a handle design which is ergonomic , of sufficient strength, minimal weight and then attaching this to the shaft in a way which achieves enough strength to withstand everyday use.
Current designs of self standing walking sticks are functional rather than ergonomic, and none of these have a self righting feature.
The angle of the upper edge of the base required careful consideration so that it will not catch on the undersurface of open style stairs.

Sustainability

This product is made from materials which are lasting. The handle, base, weights and height adjusters are recycle able as is the packaging.