Development of assistive technologies for safe operation of electric wheelchairs on sloping sidewalks and grade height differences

Takei, Toshinobu; Suzuki, Yusuke; Matsumoto, Osamu; Adachi, Yoshitaka; Sasaki, Yasutsuna; Kamo, Mitsuhiro

doi:10.1109/sii.2010.5708299

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…The details of the DTPC were described in Ref. [4]. In short, the DTPC system employs proportional‐integral (PI) control, which modulates angular velocities of drive wheels to offset a difference between an actual yaw rate measured by a rate gyro and a target yaw rate defined by the joystick input.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to overcome this unstable behavior of wheelchairs, safety systems with a downhill turning prevention control (DTPC) have been developed by some researchers and wheelchair suppliers [2,3]. A standard DTPC system is designed to automatically detect and compensate for gravity‐ or terrain‐induced behaviors of wheelchairs [2–4]. Power wheelchairs with DTPC are already commercially available like ‘G‐Trac ™ ’ by Invacare ® .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of changes in power wheelchair maneuver induced by a downhill turning prevention control on cross sloped surfaces

Suzurikawa

Kinoshita

Inoue

et al. 2012

IEEJ Transactions Elec Engng

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In order to improve direction stability of a power wheelchair on a cross-sloped surface, a downhill turning prevention control (DTPC) has been developed by some researchers and wheelchair suppliers. The DTPC-induced effect on wheelchair maneuver, however, has not been well clarified. In this study, we quantitatively assessed DTPC-induced changes in joystick control strategies during a driving task on a cross-sloped test course. Among several evaluation measures calculated from the joystick inputs during the test trials, the x -axis joystick displacement amount was found to be significantly decreased by the DTPC. This result suggests that the DTPC can save wheelchair users from the burden of compensation control on cross-sloped surfaces.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of changes in power wheelchair maneuver induced by a downhill turning prevention control on cross sloped surfaces

Suzurikawa

Kinoshita

Inoue

et al. 2012

IEEJ Transactions Elec Engng

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Very few works have been devoted to preventing falls and the tipping of chairs from sidewalks onto roadways or down stairs. Two approaches have been investigated: those using a mechanical system and those using an electromechanical system that prevents the chair from tilting and therefore falling on its side on any terrain [ 21 ]. Although this avoids the possible damage associated with a fall of the wheelchair, this type of system does not intervene in the control of the wheelchair, and therefore does not prevent the latter from ending up on the road, in the middle of traffic, in the event of tilting off a sidewalk.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a New Negative Obstacle Sensor for Augmented Electric Wheelchair

Favey

Farcy

Donnez

et al. 2021

Sensors

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Due to pathologies or age-related problems, in some disabled people, motor impairment is associated with cognitive and/or visual impairments. This combination of limitations unfortunately leads to an inability to move around independently. Indeed, their situation does not allow them to use a conventional electric wheelchair, for safety reasons, and for the moment there is no other technological solution providing safe movement capacity. This lack of access to an autonomous travel solution has the consequence of weakening the intellectual, personal, social, cultural and moral development, as well as the life expectancy, of the people concerned. In this context, our team is working on the development of an optoelectronic system that secures the displacement of electric wheelchairs. This is a large project that requires the development of several functionalities such as: the anti-collision of the wheelchair with its environment, the prevention of falls from the wheelchair on uneven levels, and the adaptation of the system mechanically and electronically to the majority of commercially available electric wheelchair models, among others. In this article, we introduce our solution for detecting dangerous height differences, also called “negative obstacles”, through the creation of a dedicated sensor. This sensor works by optical triangulation and can embed several laser beams in order to extend its detection zone. It has the particularity of being robust in direct sunlight and rain and has a sufficiently high measurement rate to be suitable for the displacement of electric wheelchairs. We develop an adapted algorithm, and point out compromises, in particular between the orientation of the laser beams and the maximal speed of the wheelchair.

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“…Toshinobu's electric wheelchair [7] conducted research for ways of using Yaw Moment compensation. It receives user input angular speed and calibrate through comparisons in wheelchair's Yaw-axis angular speed, the output can be compensated without speed sensor in ways of applying the correction value according to the Roll angle, and it has advantages that it is strong in road characteristics such as slips.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A study on methods for improving the straightness of the intelligent walker to move on slope

Lee

Jang

et al. 2013

2013 10th International Conference on Ubiquitous Robots and Ambient Intelligence (URAI)

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This paper suggests linearity enhancement algorithm for slope driving of Intelligent Walker. Intelligent Walker happens to get off track due to external forces from robot's weight and the degree of the slope while slope driving. In order to compensate this, this research used the controller that estimates the external forces according to the slope of road surface and adjusts it to the motor output. Also, through comparisons between targeted rotational angular velocity which the user inputs and its velocity of the robot, algorithm was applied which applies a weight to each shaft. As a result of applying the proposed correction controller to Intelligent Walker, it diverges in case of non-compensation experiments that deviates when moving, but it case of applying the ramp calibration algorithm, the deviation distance at max was within 5cm that it keeps safe driving, and change rate of deviation distance was also stabilized after 1m where no more changes occurred.

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Development of assistive technologies for safe operation of electric wheelchairs on sloping sidewalks and grade height differences

Cited by 8 publications

References 3 publications

Evaluation of changes in power wheelchair maneuver induced by a downhill turning prevention control on cross sloped surfaces

Evaluation of changes in power wheelchair maneuver induced by a downhill turning prevention control on cross sloped surfaces

Development of a New Negative Obstacle Sensor for Augmented Electric Wheelchair

A study on methods for improving the straightness of the intelligent walker to move on slope

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