Age is only a number until your body begins to show signs of aging. When knees begin to wear down, the simplest of tasks – you took for granted – steadily develop into an everyday challenge and then age suddenly becomes a significant number.
Life at this point leans toward dependence which none of us have wanted to experience. To facilitate individuals in considering mobility lesser of a challenge, we have seen tech-enabled walkers, canes, and electric wheelchairs in our time; however, combining the ability of all in a cohesive device, Cobi makes a sublime appearance.
Designer: Hyeon Park, Haeun Jung, Hyuntae Kim, Sookyoung Ahn
Cobi, a means of personal mobility for seniors, is designed one, to positively impact an aged person’s attitude toward life, two, to change the society’s outlook toward aged population which is considered a liability especially when free mobility becomes a task for them.
With something like the matte finished Cobi, the aged generation will lead a better, less dependent, mobile life; it’s a given! To earn such credibility, the accessory is meticulously created in two individual parts: a walker and a mobility device, that combine to form one state-of-the-art wheelchair. Even more exciting; Cobi runs without human intervention.
With its autonomous mobility and onboard button for instant breaking, Cobi is one convenient way for mobility challenged to get from point A to B without external assistance. To ensure a glitch-free ride, Cobi uses laser projection to navigate around obstacles. Provided with a cushioned seat and low backrest, the mobility device has a hide-away footrest that sticks out allowing the rider to rest their feet through transit. For additional convenience, the mobility detaches from the walker at the destination, facilitating the user to head to the areas where the ride cannot go, simply by using the walker as the assistant.
The height adjustable walker has a rubber handle that’s convenient to grip and it has a built-in flashlight to guide the user through dark environments. While the senior person is using the walker, the self-driving Cobi returns to its charging station so the person can avail the ride once it’s back in power and ready to go.