A model-based system development of a walking support wheelchair robot

This paper proposes a model-based development method with user model to develop functions of service robots, in consideration of user conditions. The user model in this paper is an independent model, which cooperates with device models and control models, and then it can behave on behalf of actual human, in simulation environments. Therefore, the user model is effective for developing functions of a product which has some risks to hurt human. The authors have been developing functions of electric wheelchair to support persons with gait disturbance. The authors applied this method to the improvement of a rehabilitation assistance function and a development of the safety drive assistance function on the electric wheelchair, for evaluating the functions in design phase, without risk to hurt subjects. As one of the safety drive functions, the authors implemented a function to stop automatically at emergency. And, for the improvement of the rehabilitation assistance function, the authors implemented a sub-function to approach the user.