SBIR-STTR Award

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.

Independent mobility is critical to individuals of any age. While the needs of many individuals with disabilities can be satisfied with power wheelchairs, some members of the disabled community find it difficult or impossible to operate a standard power wheelchair. This population includes, but is not limited to, individuals with low vision, visual field neglect, spasticity, tremors, or cognitive deficits. The goal of this project is to develop a set of components that can be added to standard power wheelchairs to convert them into "smart" wheelchairs which can assist the user in navigation and obstacle avoidance. During Phase I, a prototype of the Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS) was developed from a laptop computer and a collection of sonar, infrared and bump sensors. The evaluation activities performed during Phase I demonstrated that the system is compatible with multiple brands of wheelchairs, can accept both continuous and switch-based input, and can support front-, mid-, and rear-wheel drive wheelchairs. During Phase II, we propose to refine the system hardware and software; replace the laptop computer with an embedded microprocessor; fabricate enclosures for the system components; and develop tools to support clinicians in installing and configuring the system. The system will be evaluated in tests involving potential users, clinicians, and wheelchair design standards. The final product will be a market-ready modular system which can be attached to a variety of standard power wheelchairs. This product has the potential to increase the independence and quality of life of many wheelchair users and potential wheelchair users whose disabilities limit their capacity for independent wheelchair navigation.

Thesaurus Terms:
assistive device /technology, biomedical equipment development, computer system design /evaluation computer program /software, computer system hardware, educational resource design /development, health care personnel education clinical research, human subject