Currently the research is focused on implementing something called a kinetic shape on the crutch tip. A kinetic shape, when applied to a crutch, will take the weight of your body and use it to push you forward or backward. The amount and direction of push is controllable, and these features can be optimized for different situations; for instance, going up and down stairs or hills, running, strolling, etc. What I need to know before I move forward is, would crutch users be interested in something like this?
@Yvette: The first thing that we are trying to address is different scenarios (fast vs slow, uphill vs downhill vs flat). Then we can move on to more specific medical conditions and adapt the solution to those.
You need to develop a pair of crutches which are versatile and can be changed.
If we are thinking along the lines of just a tip at this time, is it better to make just the tip or would users want a whole modified crutch as well? The idea originally was to make just the tip, but I think some users may want a nice crutch along with it...
@Sunshine: You may also check out SandPads. They are obviously intended for sand, but I have seen a lot of users say they use them indoors as well. They are significantly heavier than both the Fetterman tips and the regular tips.
Cerebral Palsy is a neurological condition and so fine motor control is more difficult, also doing something that is repetative causes ever increasing muscles spasms eg when I am trying to walk my legs to tighten up and I trip over. If the core of the crutch or walking stick had weight that moved up when the crutch/stick was taken off the floor and then back down on the downstroke it might help get it in the right place at the right time.
That is out of the realm I'm working on right now, but definitely an interesting concept!