Reflex control of a robotic aid system to assist the physically disabled

A robotic aid for the physically disabled that assists a user in feeding is presented. Two problems must be solved for a robot to feed a person. First, the robot must continually track the position of the person´s face. Second, the robot must be able to get out of the way if the person moves suddenly. The first problem is solved with a machine-vision subsystem that computes the position of the person´s face in real-time. The second problem requires reflex action on the part of the robot. Reflex action based on a layered control architecture has been implemented. Both problems require the ability to predict and follow human motion.<>