Citation

Lopresti EF, Sharma V, Simpson RC, Mostowy LC. J. Rehabil. Res. Dev. 2011; 48(5): 529-543.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

DOI

10.1682/JRRD.2010.01.0008

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Drive-Safe System (DSS) is a collisionavoidance system for power wheelchairs designed to support people with mobility impairments who also have visual, upperlimb, or cognitive impairments. The DSS uses a distributed approach to provide an add-on, shared-control, navigationassistance solution. In this project, the DSS was tested for engineering goals such as sensor coverage, maximum safe speed, maximum detection distance, and power consumption while the wheelchair was stationary or driven by an investigator.

RESULTS indicate that the DSS provided uniform, reliable sensor coverage around the wheelchair; detected obstacles as small as 3.2 mm at distances of at least 1.6 m; and attained a maximum safe speed of 4.2 km/h. The DSS can drive reliably as close as 15.2 cm from a wall, traverse doorways as narrow as 81.3 cm without interrupting forward movement, and reduce wheelchair battery life by only 3%. These results have implications for a practical system to support safe, independent mobility for veterans who acquire multiple disabilities during Active Duty or later in life. These tests indicate that a system utilizing relatively low cost ultrasound, infrared, and force sensors can effectively detect obstacles in the vicinity of a wheelchair.

Language: en

Keywords

Robotics; Wheelchairs; Robots; Interactive computer systems; Collision avoidance; Man machine systems; Air navigation; Patient rehabilitation; Visual servoing; Ultrasonic applications