An Intelligent Powered Wheelchair to Enable Mobility in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairments
By Pooja Viswanathan
Mobility and independence are essential components of a high quality of life.
Although they lack the strength to operate manual wheelchairs, most physically
disabled older adults with a cognitive impairment are not permitted to use
powered wheelchairs due to safety concerns. The resulting restriction of
mobility often leads to frustration and depression. In this talk, I will discuss
the design of an intelligent powered wheelchair that will enable safe navigation
and encourage interaction between the user and his/her environment. I will
present the robotics-based algorithms implemented in the intelligent wheelchair
system and some preliminary test results obtained at the Intelligent Assistive
Technology and Systems Lab (University of Toronto).
Additionally, I will discuss future work that will include more advanced
planning and scheduling capabilities, as well as the development of a pervasive
network of intelligent wheelchairs.