NSTU-NETI students create a GPS walking stick to help the elderly in emergency situations

According to the LizaAlert search and rescue team, the number of missing elderly people in the Novosibirsk region is steadily increasing. Those who suffer from mental disorders, dementia, visual and hearing impairments are at risk. The student's development will make it possible to locate the owner of the cane using GPS. 

"We took a standard height-adjustable cane, built a GPS tracker into the handle, which allows you to track your location from your phone. We also added an anti-slip nozzle: the spikes at the nozzle are closed with a lid, which allows you to comfortably use the cane indoors. In the future, we will integrate a flashlight to improve visibility in the dark, which is especially important for people with poor eyesight. We will apply a reflective tape to the base of the cane, with which a person with a cane will be visible at night from afar. And most importantly, we will add an SOS button, which, in case of an emergency, will help attract the attention of passers—by with loud beeps," said Kristina Kucherenko, a student at the Faculty of Aircraft at NSTU-NETI.  

According to the developers, a smart cane will reduce the search time for a lost elderly person and the risk of possible injury. They note that there are no direct analogues of such a cane: most existing devices with a GPS tracker are supplemented with functions that significantly increase the cost, but are not used as part of a student project. It was decided to remove them to make the cane more affordable for purchase. The price of the device, according to the developers, will be about 4 thousand rubles.

Students plan to create a model of a walking stick with a built-in GPS tracker, a flashlight, reflective elements and an SOS button by April of this year.

At the NSTU-NETI student Development competition held in December 2025, the team took 3rd place in the IT Projects nomination (junior league).