Evaluating Material Alternatives for low cost Robotic Wheelchair Chassis: A Combined CRITIC, EDAS, and COPRAS Framework

Abstract

This research paper introduces a comprehensive approach for evaluating material alternatives in the design of low cost robotic wheelchair chassis, incorporating a combined CRITIC (Criteria Importance through Intercriteria Correlation), EDAS (Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution), and COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment) framework. Material selection has a significant impact on robotic wheelchair performance and longevity, offering issues due to many criteria and sophisticated decision-making in engineering design. The proposed framework solves these issues by combining three well-known multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques by considering 7 criteria and 12 potential alternate materials. CRITIC assesses the relevance of criteria, EDAS rates material alternatives, and COPRAS computes comprehensive performance ratings while taking interdependencies into account. Wheelchair Chassis Materials are assessed based on SOLIDWORKS analysis for mechanical qualities and online B2B market data for cost, weight, and other relevant factors. Gray cast iron emerges as the most favorable choice for the robotic wheelchair chassis, showcasing its exceptional balance of attributes. This study adds important insights to material selection for complex engineering systems and assistive technology design, resulting in better wheelchair design and user experience.