Motion control of intelligent wheelchair based on sitting postures

Abstract

With the increase in the number of senior citizens and disabled persons, there is a growing demand for human-friendly wheelchairs as mobility aids. Wheelchair is often controlled by hands via joysticks, so it is inconvenient and difficult for persons in wheelchairs to play sports. To solve this problem, this paper presents a method of motion control based on sitting postures, including direction and speed hand-free control. The high-speed analog data acquisition system provides enough information according to the sitting postures of the wheelchair users, where four force sensors are installed under the seat. The intelligent wheelchair control system will calculate gravity centre of human body and decide to move in which direction and provide proper speed to control the motors. At the same time, it shows the dynamic moving directions and creates a real time path map of the intelligent wheelchair to guide the users. This control mode will give the disabled or the wheelchair athletes more opportunities not only for sports, but also for some other everyday work. The results of experiments and simulations indicate that this intelligent wheelchair control system effectively provides mobility and autonomy to the target population.

PSO-based state feedback regulator for stabilizing a two-wheeled wheelchair in balancing mode

“…Several improvement proposals on the control of EPW has been reported to provide greater flexibility for wheelchair users in their daily activities [3][4][5][6]. The research on two-wheeled wheelchair is however relatively new.…”

Biomechanical Signals Human-Computer Interface for Severe Motor Disabilities

“…Focusing our attention on this kind of human-machine interfaces, the residual voluntary movement detection without utilizing bioelectric signals, a few projects based on the registration of different gestures or corporal movements can be found: movements of the head [9], winks combined with movements of the head [10], movements of the tongue [11], sniffing [12] and posture changes [13]. Among the above mentioned options, wink detection has been considered the most adequate because this ability prevails in most of the severe motor disability cases and it is the gesture that interferes less with the normal daily activity of the subject.…”

Innovaciones en sistemas e interfaces humano-máquina: aplicación a las tecnologías de rehabilitación

“…Se han diseñado diferentes tipos de interfaz siguiendo estas técnicas. De esta forma, se encuentran interfaces que se encargan de detectar la posición de la cabeza, dónde esta funciona como un joystick [214] y [215], detección de guiños [216] y [217], movimientos de la lengua [218], [219], [220] y [221], expiraciones e inspiraciones (en inglés, sniffing) [222] y mediante cambios en la posición corporal del usuario [223].…”

“…Con todas estas interfaces se han creado diferentes dispositivos y sistemas a controlar. De esta manera, [214], [222] y [223] presentan sistemas para el control de sillas de ruedas. En el caso particular de [223] se explica que se quería conseguir un sistema de manos libres para movilidad en personas que sufren una discapacidad motora y quieren emplear sus manos para trabajar o hacer deporte mientras se desplazan.…”

“…De esta manera, [214], [222] y [223] presentan sistemas para el control de sillas de ruedas. En el caso particular de [223] se explica que se quería conseguir un sistema de manos libres para movilidad en personas que sufren una discapacidad motora y quieren emplear sus manos para trabajar o hacer deporte mientras se desplazan. [216] presenta un robot de vigilancia remota y la interfaz desarrollada en [218] se utiliza para el control de un ordenador como sustituto del ratón.…”