Control of speed and direction of electric wheelchair using seat pressure mapping

Publication date: 2018Source: Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, Volume 38, Issue 3Author(s): Junichi Hori, Hiroki Ohara, Seiya InayoshiAbstractAn electric wheelchair controlled through seat pressure mapping was developed to accomplish hands-free operation. The seat pressure mapping resulting from a change in posture was measured using a pressure sensor array seated on the wheelchair in real time. The movements of the upper body were discriminated using template matching. The speed and direction can be controlled based on the similarities between the measured pressure distribution and five templates of neutral, forward, backward, left, and right movements. The developed interface was built into a commercial electric wheelchair. As the results of an experiment show, the proposed wheelchair can be controlled in any direction and velocity.
Source: Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering - Category: Biomedical Engineering Source Type: research