A low-cost electric power wheelchair with manual and vision-based control systems

This paper presents the design, implementation and experimental platform of a low-cost intelligent wheelchair for the motor-disabled. The first prototype developed is an electric power wheelchair which cost is one third of the commercially available ones and is capable of both manual and autonomous operation. Manual operation relies on a joystick and is intended for people that, in spite of their disability, are well capable of maneuvering the wheelchair. Autonomous operation relies on a mobile robotics inspired computer vision system to navigate through corridors, halls, indoors/outdoors, among other structured environments and is indented for the severely impaired, such as the tetraplegics. Besides from being an affordable-to-everyone device, its current application is museum guidance: based on a location-aware interactive storytelling platform, the wheelchair guides the user among the museum´s rooms while providing audio information.