A walking stick with built-in cues for freezing of gait
Freezing of gait stops the feet mid-step while the brain is still sending the signal to walk. External cueing, a rhythm you can hear, feel or see, is an established clinical technique for walking with Parkinson's. This stick builds all three into the handle.
A working research prototype. Not available to buy, and not a medical device.
A beat to walk to
One cueing cycle as the device is designed to deliver it: steady walking, a freezing episode, the stick's response, and the rhythm the cue is intended to restore.
Looping animated diagram. A person walks steadily. A freezing episode stops their feet. The walking stick responds with a rhythmic beat, a vibration in the handle and a laser line projected on the floor. The person steps over the line and the cue continues as they walk on.
- Walking steadilyThe user walks at their own natural rhythm.
- A freeze beginsMid-stride, the feet stop responding. This is freezing of gait.
- The stick cuesA steady beat, a gentle vibration in the handle and a laser line on the floor give the brain a rhythm to follow and a target to step over.
- Walking onThe cue keeps going, designed to give a steady rhythm to walk to.
A simplified illustration of one cueing cycle.
It started with my grandad
My grandad lives with Parkinson's. I watched freezing of gait take away his confidence to cross a room: the unpredictability of it, and the independence it quietly removes.
I'm an engineer. Freezing of gait is a problem with an established clinical response and no affordable device that delivers it in something people already carry every day. That gap is why this exists.
Three cues, one familiar object
Research into external cueing supports rhythm you can hear, feel or see. The stick delivers all three in something people already carry.
Rhythm you hear
A steady beat from a built-in speaker, set to match the user's own walking pace.
Rhythm you feel
The handle pulses in time with the beat, so the cue can still be felt in noisy places.
A line you step over
A laser line projected on the floor gives a visible target.
People with Parkinson's have used it
In April 2026 I took the prototype to the Parkinson's UK Southend support group. People held it, felt the vibration, heard the beat, and told me it was something they would want to use. That led to conversations with Parkinson's UK Tech Partnerships and with PD Buddy.
Where the project is now
Updated
What began as my university dissertation at Swansea University is now a working prototype, designed to support everyday walking. My grandad has been part of it from the start, trying out each version and telling me exactly what he thinks.
- The second-generation prototype is complete. It is fully working, with all three cues running on battery and a companion app for settings.
- Shaped by people with Parkinson's. The new handle and button positions were shaped by feedback from people living with Parkinson's, including the support group I visited in April.
- Building a small batch. We're building a small number of sticks for demonstrations and for feedback from healthcare professionals.
- Research at Swansea University. I've started a Master's by Research at Swansea University, which will include carefully planned user testing, subject to ethical approval.
- Thank you. We're grateful for advice and support from the Parkinson's community, Swansea University's Enterprise team and local business networks.
- Design help. Martin Brigden Gwinnutt, a retired Formula 1 engineer, is helping to shape the next versions of the stick.
- Mentoring. Beatrice Zatorska, founder of PD Buddy, is mentoring the project, has given invaluable support and has written about it.
Coming up
- : Par-Con, Birmingham. We'll be at Parkinson's UK's national conference. If you're going, please come and say hello.
- Winter 2026: refining the design based on feedback, ahead of a small pilot batch for research and testing in early 2027.
Can I get one?
Not yet. The Smart Walking Stick is a research prototype and is not available to buy. If you'd like to hear how it develops, sign up for occasional updates.
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Funding the next stage
Stage 1 complete: £700 target reached
Your contributions paid for five sets of electronics, a 3D printer and tools. They built three working second-generation sticks, now used for demonstrations and feedback, and two further sets are going into the next design with the help of Martin's design expertise. Thank you to everyone who contributed.
Stage 2: £1,500 target
- 10 sticks for user testing. Ten sticks means people with Parkinson's, and the physiotherapists who work with them, can try the stick for longer and give structured feedback on comfort, the controls and the cues, so the design can be improved.
- Research into detecting freezing automatically. A dedicated research stick records movement data, to explore whether freezing of gait can be recognised automatically. This is early-stage research, not a feature of the stick.
| What | Cost |
|---|---|
| Electronics for 10 sticks | £350 |
| Shafts, grips, housings and other parts | £550 |
| User testing (thank-you vouchers, travel and printed information) | £350 |
| Research stick and data storage for freezing-of-gait research | £100 |
| Contingency for repairs and unexpected costs | £150 |
| Total | £1,500 |
£0 raised of £1,500
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The Smart Walking Stick is a personal research project, not a registered charity. Contributions aren't eligible for Gift Aid and don't buy a stick or a share in the project.
Get in touch
If you're a clinician, researcher, funder or part of a Parkinson's organisation, I'd like to hear from you.