The Wheelchair Guide

Collision Detection on a Wheelchair

Pooja Viswanathan is a Computer Science student at the University of British Colombia. She has developed a system that can be integrated into most electric wheelchairs to provide collision detection and also learn an area.

Viswanathan observed that often those that have cognitive or physical difficulties have difficulties using an electrical wheelchair. In many cases, it is actually dangerous for them to do so. Commonly these individuals will be given manual wheelchair, but frequently they are unable to move them. She set out to help individuals in these situations and others who use electric wheelchairs.

Her device consists of two cameras that interface to a laptop located under the wheelchairs seat. The cameras work to map the environment where the chair is used. The cameras can calculate distances between objects and detect an imminent collision. If a collision is detected, the wheelchair will take over, but otherwise the wheelchair owner is left to control the chair.

The laptop, tracks where a user goes and begins to learn their behaviors. Eventually it can evaluate the users ability and adapt to provide more or less assistance. The interaction between the person and the laptop is done through audio commands issued from the laptop.

One of the advantages of this type of system is that the wheelchair user is largely free to drive the chair wherever they want. With the collision detection in place, dangerous objects are avoided, so not only are they free to move virtually wherever they please, they are also free from danger.