Power-Assist Wheelchair Attachment

This senior design project sought to combine the best characteristics of manual and power wheelchairs by creating a battery-powered attachment to propel a manual wheelchair. The primary customer needs were determined to be affordability, portability, and travel on uneven surfaces. After the initial prototype, using a hub motor proved unsuccessful, so a second design was developed that consisted of a gear reduction motor and drive wheel connected to the back of the wheelchair by a trailing arm that could be easily attached/detached from the frame. The prototype of the second design succeeded in meeting most of the project goals related to cost, off-road capability, inclines, and range. Improvements can be made by reducing the attachment weight and improving user control of the device

Powered Wheelchair Platform for Assistive Technology Development

Literature shows that numerous wheelchair platforms, of various complexities, have been developed and evaluated for Assistive Technology purposes. However there has been little consideration to providing researchers with an embedded system which is fully compatible, and communicates seamlessly with current manufacturer's wheelchair systems. We present our powered wheelchair platform which allows researchers to mount various inertial and environment sensors, and run guidance and navigation algorithms which can modify the human desired joystick trajectory, so as to assist users with negotiating obstacles, and moving from room to room. We are also able to directly access other currently manufactured human input devices and integrate new and novel input devices into the powered wheelchair platform for clinical and research assessment

Overcoming barriers and increasing independence: service robots for elderly and disabled people

This paper discusses the potential for service robots to overcome barriers and increase independence of elderly and disabled people. It includes a brief overview of the existing uses of service robots by disabled and elderly people and advances in technology which will make new uses possible and provides suggestions for some of these new applications. The paper also considers the design and other conditions to be met for user acceptance. It also discusses the complementarity of assistive service robots and personal assistance and considers the types of applications and users for which service robots are and are not suitable

Advanced robust tracking control of a powered wheelchair system.

In this paper, the dynamic multivariable model of the wheelchair system is obtained including the presence of transportation lags. The triangular diagonal dominance (TDD) decoupling technique is applied to reduce this multivariable control problem into two independent scalar control problems. An advanced robust control technique for the wheelchair has been developed based on the combination of a TDD decoupling strategy and neural network controller design. The results obtained from the real-time implementation confirm that robust performance for this multivariable wheelchair control system can indeed be achieved

Designing wheelchair-based movement games

People using wheelchairs have access to fewer sports and other physically stimulating leisure activities than nondisabled persons, and often lead sedentary lifestyles that negatively influence their health. While motion- based video games have demonstrated great potential of encouraging physical activity among nondisabled players, the accessibility of motion-based games is limited for persons with mobility disabilities, thus also limiting access to the potential health benefits of playing these games. In our work, we address this issue through the design of wheelchair-accessible motion-based game controls. We present KINECTWheels, a toolkit designed to integrate wheelchair movements into motion-based games. Building on the toolkit, we developed Cupcake Heaven, a wheelchair-based video game designed for older adults using wheelchairs, and we created Wheelchair Revolution, a motion-based dance game that is accessible to both persons using wheelchairs and nondisabled players. Evaluation results show that KINECTWheels can be applied to make motion-based games wheelchair-accessible, and that wheelchair-based games engage broad audiences in physically stimulating play. Through the application of the wheelchair as an enabling technology in games, our work has the potential of encouraging players of all ages to develop a positive relationship with their wheelchair

Tilt-N-Go: The Alternative Control System for Electric Wheelchairs

The Tilt-n-Go system offers an alternative electric wheelchair control mechanism for those with mobility problems that prevent them from properly using the provided joystick controller. The majority of electric wheelchairs currently on the market are controlled by an armrest-mounted joystick. Users with tremors, arthritis or other medical conditions that result in loss of grip strength, may find the joystick interface difficult or painful to use. In the Tilt-n-Go system, the movement control system no longer receives movement commands from a joystick but instead responds to the orientation of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on a glove worn by the user. The IMU, containing a gyro, accelerometer, and microcontroller unit (MCU), outputs unique voltage signals for every distinct way a user tilts it. The IMU sends wheelchair control signals wirelessly using an XBee RF transmitter to an XBee RF receiver that outputs data to a second MCU which drives the wheelchair motors. As it stands, the Tilt-n-Go system allows for successful control of the wheelchair in all directions (forward, backward, right, left, forward-right, forward-left, backward-right, and backward-left) by tilting the hand in the predetermined manner

Implementation of a low cost hands free wheelchair controller

The aim of this project is to ease mobility for people with upper and lower disability in order to live independently. This paper presents the design steps and specification to a low cost hands free eye-blink controller to control and electric wheelchair. Nowadays, people are using joystick to control motorized wheelchair. The eye-blink controller technology gives an alternative solution to mobility problem; especially for the people who are quadriplegics. By interfacing eye-blink controller, the directions of the wheelchair are controlled. This report will provide the designing step, related solutions, and component details and specifications