A mobile robot controlled by an adaptive inertial interface for children with physical and cognitive disorders

This paper presents novel strategies for the interaction and mobility of infants with cerebral palsy (CP) and similar disorders. Initially, the design of a playful robotic vehicle is proposed. It aims to promote the physical and cognitive skills through mobility experiences. Despite the versatility of the vehicle, some children present severe motor limitations hindering the control of the driving console. In order to increase the accessibility of the vehicle, different driving modes are not enough. For people with CP, the human-machine interaction is a critical factor. For this reason, a novel human-machine head-mounted interface (HMI) is proposed to drive the vehicle. The HMI is based on inertial technology, which enables users to drive the vehicle by their movements and postures. The solutions and methods proposed in this paper have been validated experimentally with people with CP.