## 3 Results and Discussion  
The training dataset consisted of force values from left and right force sensors on the smart walker's handlebar. Figure 3 shows scatter plots comparing the forces exertedby osteoporosis patients and healthy participants on the right- and left-side handlebars, respectively. Figure 4 shows the distribution of these forces categorized into forces applied by healthy participants on the left side (HealthyFLS), forces applied by healthy participants on the right side (HealthyFRS), forces applied by osteoporosis patients on the left side (OsteoporosisFLS), and forces applied by osteoporosis patients on the right side (OsteoporosisFRS). The average force exerted by the osteoporosis patients (95.08 N) on the right handlebar was 69.80% greater than that of healthy participants, and the average force exerted by the osteoporosis patients was 68.77% greater for the left handlebar (97.09 N). Figure 3: Comparison of forces exerted by (**a**) healthy participants and (**b**) osteoporosis patients. The smart walker prototype was used to measure participants' weight distribution while walking, with no significant errors or missing values in the data obtained. Participants began walking by stomping their right heel on the floor, and force variations were used to compute spatiotemporal gait characteristics such as time, cadence, step length, step time, and velocity. When users began a heel strike, the force on the handlebar rose on one side and decreased on the other, making it easy to calculate the number of steps taken by counting inflection points. For easier data display, forces from the two left-side sensors (**Fs**_RLs_ + **Fs**_FLs_) were combined to create a single force peak signal for the left heel strike, as shown in Figure 5. The same forces were combined for the right-side sensors (**Fs**_RRs_ + **Fs**_FRs_) to create a single force peak signal. Gait metrics were measured, including the variations in forces recorded from the left and right sides, the occurrence of peaks at particular times, and the distance traveled by the user. The observed profiles show significant differences between osteoporosis patients and healthy participants in terms of their performance in the 10 m walk test. Notably, osteoporosis patients demonstrated a prolonged duration to cover the 10 m distance, coupled with a heightened application of forces on the handlebar. On average, the osteoporosis group took 78.63% more time to complete the 10 m walk test compared to their healthy counterparts. Similar results were obtained from our previous study where we compared data from people with and without osteoporosis using an instrumented non-wheel walker [31]. These findings align with our initial hypothesis, suggesting that individuals with osteoporosis rely more heavily on the walker for gait support. This reliance may stem from their inherent weakness, coupled with the presence of stiff and brittle bones, and a heightened fear of falling. Consequently, osteoporosis patients tend to distribute their body weight onto the walker, leading to an increased exertion of force on the handlebars and a subsequently extended time to cover a distance of 10 m. Conversely, the healthy participants exhibited a contrasting profile, indicative of independence in their gait. They bore their body weight while walking, resulting in minimal force exertion on the handlebars during the walking phase. This dichotomy in behavior between osteoporosis patients and healthy individuals further underscores the distinct impact of osteoporosis on gait patterns and the consequential reliance on assistive devices. Figure 4: Distribution of forces exerted by healthy participants on the left-side handlebar (HealthyFLS), forces applied by healthy participants on the right-side handlebar (HealthyFRS), forces applied by osteoporosis patients on the left-side handlebar (OsteoporosisFLS), and forces applied by osteoporosis patients on the right-side handlebar (OsteoporosisFRS).