Design of Mutual Interaction Between a User and Smart Electric Wheelchair

Abstract

This paper presents interaction between a user and a smart electric wheelchair. We propose a personal mobility tool (PMT) that integrates autonomous mobile robot navigation technology with intuitive and cognitive interaction between a user and a smart wheelchair. An intuitive and noncontinuous input method is proposed to enable a user to specify the direction in which the wheelchair is to go. Using an acceleration sensor and pressure sensors, the user gives a direction to the PMT, then the PMT determines the goal on an environmental map based on the direction. An output interface is used to help the user interpret robot behavior through informative communication between the user and the PMT. In this paper, a vibrotactile seat interface is presented.