Feasibility of a Wearable Cold-Gas Thruster for Fall Prevention

Abstract

This paper examines the feasibility and control authority of an electronically controlled cold-gas thruster (CGT) as a backpack-worn device for fall prevention for individuals at fall risk. The CGT is comprised of a pressurized air tank combined with a custom electrically actuated high-flow-capacity valve and servo-controlled nozzle, which are employed together to create a thrust intended to arrest an impending fall. In this paper, the authors present the design of the CGT prototype and experimentally investigate its prospective control authority for the purposes of correcting an impending fall.