ShowerFlex: Achieving Pseudo-Static Balancing in a Continuum Shower Hose

Abstract

With the global population rapidly aging, maintaining independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), particularly bathing or showering, has become a critical challenge. Older adults who sit while showering currently have limited options, often relying on rigid overhead showerheads or flexible hand-held hoses that require continuous gripping and precarious user maneuvers, increasing the risk of falls. To address this need, this paper introduces a highly articulated, pseudo-static balanced continuum mechanism designed specifically for accessible bathing assistance. The proposed mechanism features a modular continuum architecture composed of friction-locked ball-and-socket joints (loc-line), seamlessly integrated with a retractable spring-loaded reel for effective gravity compensation. This hybrid design achieves an intuitive "Push-and-Stay" interaction logic, maintaining an approximate static equilibrium with ergonomically low actuation force, without any external electronic power, while significantly minimizing the force needed for repositioning. Theoretically, we established a recursive forward kinematics framework to construct the geometric model of the structure, coupled with a comprehensive static equilibrium analysis to evaluate the system's holding capacity across its 51-DOF structure. Numerical simulations utilizing Monte Carlo methods validate the system's morphological adaptability and stability at various extreme positions within a standard bath space. Physical experiments further validate the prototype's real-world performance, confirming its intrinsic static stability against gravity and ensuring that the actuation force remains well within the ergonomic capabilities of older adults. Ultimately, this research provides a low-cost, intrinsically safe showerhead design that reduces physical strain, restoring dignity and autonomy in personal hygiene.