Smart Wheelchair Component Systems

The goal of this project is to develop a collection of components that can be added to standard power wheelchairs to convert them into smart wheelchairs. Wheelchairs equipped with the Smart Wheelchair System will be able to assist users in two distinct ways: as a mobility aid, the system will present users with an immediate opportunity for independent mobility, and as a training tool, the smart wheelchair will allow users to safely develop and refine the skills necessary to operate a power wheelchair without the need for technological assistance. During Phase I, a prototype of the system will be developed which will serve as a testbed for demonstrating technical feasibility of our approach to providing navigation assistance to wheelchair users. The prototype will be compatible with wheelchairs from four manufacturers and will make use of a variety of sensor modalities. The result of Phase I will be a demonstration that existing smart wheelchair technology is sufficiently advanced to produce a robust and functional product ready for use in the real world. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The product developed by the end of Phase II will be a collection of modular components that can be attached to standard power wheelchairs from different manufacturers to convert them into smart wheelchairs. The system will accommodate all traditional input methods, will offer two different forms of navigation assistance to the user and will be useful both as a mobility aid and a training tool.