What are robotics wheelchairs? Trends and design considerations to enhance assistive mobility technology

Speaker: Jorge Candiotti

Abstract: Tips and falls are one of the most recurrent wheelchair accidents when navigating on challenging terrains or overlooked obstacles. Existing electric-powered wheelchairs are not designed for such environments, predisposing them to loss of stability. Advances in sensing technology have enabled researchers to design robotic wheelchairs to enhance safety and mobility. This work will propose design recommendations and evaluation tools for robotic wheelchairs to meet users’ functional needs. The design framework will be illustrated by describing the design and evaluation process of a robotic wheelchair prototype with all-terrain capabilities, followed by a discussion of potential design considerations for advanced wheelchairs