Intelligent vehicles

Assistive devices

Intelligent vehicles for the motor impaired

We have been working toward developing intelligent vehicles for motor-disabled persons. A first step achieved was the design and implementation of an efficient low-cost fully-electrical wheelchair. The price of this prototype chair is one third of the commercially available ones. A second step is the integration of vision systems for autonomous navigation. Two goals have been set:

1.- Indoor navigation – The wheelchair will be able to perform autonomously a path (video). The application envisaged is museum guidance: The wheelchair will guide the user among the museum’s rooms while providing audio information.

2.- Quadriplegic wheelchair – A wheelchair for people with paralysis affecting all four limbs. The wheelchair will be guided by voice and head mouvements.

Further reading:

Velázquez (R.), Camacho (A.) and Romero (B.), Modeling, Design and Vision-Based Control of a Low-Cost Electric Power Wheelchair Prototype, International Journal of Assistive Robotics and Systems, Vol. 10, No. 3, 2009.

 

Sponsor: CEPii (Centro Panamericano de Investigación e Innovación)

ContactRamiro Velázquez