Mobility Optimization via Enhanced Robotic Sensing (MOVERS)

Mobility Optimization via Enhanced Robotic Sensing (MOVERS) is being developed by Robotic Research, LLC and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology. This Phase II STTR will further develop autonomous terrain classification and driving control systems that enable medical robots and mobility assist devices to safely negotiate various types of terrain. Applications include casualty assessment/extraction robots, chem/bio-hazard detection robots, and electric-powered wheelchairs. The resulting product will be a platform-independent system consisting of a sensor package and associated processor that will interface to control a wheeled robot or automated vehicle. For the commercial market this technology will allow for a driver's aid to assist with better off-road driving, such as allowing a wheelchair to move through a slippery, muddy road more elegantly and safely, using its own momentum for a smarter navigation solution. The MOVERS technology will also apply to commercial vehicles, such as lumber trucks, mining, or construction heavy equipment vehicles.