Towards Smart Wheelchairs?
By Mallet, Pierre; Pergandi, Jean-Marie; Assistive Technology: From Virtuality to Reality, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 328-335Publication Date: 2005
Paper focuses on the WAD Project, which has worked to install smart technology onto the Cruiser powered wheelchair from Invacare. The wheelchair is equipped with a basic joystick interface and a module that allows it to be accessed through a personal computer. The Cruiser can be operated via three modes: (1) manual mode, (2) automatic mode, and (3) man-machine interface. In manual mode, the user simply operates the device via standard joystick, which automatic mode utilizes 20 infrared sensors to detect obstacles in the environment. Information about the obstacles such as size and distance from the wheelchair allow the computer to calculate the safest directions and speed controls, which are transferred to the wheelchair without the user having to operate the joystick. The man-machine interface is a combination of the other two modes, as the user can receive feedback regarding obstacles while operating the Cruiser via joystick. The system was created by researchers at the Universite de Bordeaux in France.
Published by: IOS Press (Website:http://www.iospress.nl)
Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE) (Web Site: http://www.aaate.net )
Link to text: http://iospress.metapress.com/link.asp?id=w28q5qq0t4tjywqd
