Cane length analysis to support walking for elders

The desirable cane length based on the theoretical analysis is proposed in this paper. The walking pattern with the cane is analyzed first. To study the desirable cane length, concepts of the center of mass (COM) and compatibility index are employed to find the optimal cane length. A wearable sensor system is used to measure the COM and calculate the compatibility index. Experiment to measure the supporting force of a cane is carried out to verify the result of analytical approach.