Human-Machine Interface-Based Robotic Wheel Chair Control

This chapter presents the P300-based human machine interference (HMI) systems control robotic wheel chair (RWC) prototype in right, left, forward, backward, and stop positions. Four different targets letters are used to elicit the P300 waves, flickering in the low frequency region, by using oddball paradigms and displayed on a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen by Lab-VIEW. After the pre-processing and taking one second time window, feature is extracted by using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). Three different classifiers—two based on ANNs pattern recognition neural network (PRNN) and feed forward neural network (FFNN) and the and other one based on support vector machine (SVM)—are used. Those three techniques are designed and compared with the different accuracies among them.

Smart Wheelchair with Voice Control for Physically Challenged People

A wheel chair is a mechanically operated device that allows the user to move about independently. This minimizes the user's personal effort and force required to move the wheelchair wheels. Furthermore, it allows visually or physically handicapped people to go from one location to another. Voice commands and button controls can be used to operate wheelchairs. In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in smart wheelchairs. These gadgets are very handy while traveling from one location to another. The devices can also be utilized in nursing homes where the elderly have difficulties moving about. For individuals who have lost their mobility, the gadgets are a godsend. Different types of smart wheelchairs have been created in the past, but new generations of wheelchairs are being developed and utilized that incorporate the use of artificial intelligence and therefore leave the user with a little to tamper with. The project also intends to develop a comparable wheel chair that has some intelligence and so assists the user in his or her mobility.

Design and Fabrication of Low Cost Modified Maneuverable Standing Stretcher Wheelchair Transport System

Wheel Chairs are one of the convenient man made structure which are highly useful for person with disability. The major problem of this wheelchair is the architectural obstacles such as stairs etc. Many researchers around the globe have worked on wheel chair design so as to make the user independent. The question of overcoming these obstacles by a wheelchair always is the most discussed topics in recent days. This paper involves in fabricating a wheel chair which is motor operated. It is stair climbing wheelchair design which concept which overcomes the structural obstacles. The fabrication of an ergonomically designed battery operated wheel chair for multi usage is done. Concept of stairs climbing function is embedded in the design by adopting new design and mechanism. The design considerations of the wheelchair are based on the standard design of the stairs which are constructed in India. The work deals with design and fabrication of wheelchair convertible to bed. It is also equipped with a standing aid which helps the disabled individual to stand up and perform certain work. The design involves the use of electrical linear actuators which consists of an assembly of motor driven power screw to make the transformation from sitting to a bed by using a hand held remote, overcoming the need of a another person to shift the patient from wheelchair to bed. This project offers multiple features over a standard wheelchair and is very economical in comparison to commercially available wheelchairs.

Analysis for need of Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) facilities in Khamgaon city

In our day to day life we have seen the emission from transport sector is increasing. Along with carbon emissions, the transport sector is also responsible for road congestion, local air pollution, noise and accidents. In urban areas, the share of both public transport and NMT has been decreasing, resulting in increasing negative impacts. Therefore development of NMT in the cities is very important. NMT comprises of walking, Cycling, wheel chair travel and small wheeled transport etc. This transport facilities fulfill transportation as well as recreational objectives as these are ecofriendly modes. Previous planning only focus on movement of MT and there is no planning for NMT but the scenario is most of the short trips upto 5km in our country are carried out by walking and cycling.. NMT promotes health as well as social equality and is free from pollution which makes it ecofriendly. NMT are affordable to all classes which maintains social equality among citizens. Present Indian scenario shows undermining of importance and safety of NMVs in Indian cities. In India it should be taken seriously to priorities the use of NMT and focus on implementation of this facilities, maintenance and operation of this system. The governments should run the programs to encourage the people to move towards the use of NMT. This study aims to determine the need of NMT facilities within the city and people views regarding existing traffic conditions along main streets within the city. The city is divided in different parts as per wards and quessionnaire survey is carried out to know people views. The overall study shows the need for the provision of NMT facilities like footpaths, cycle ways, croos points at main streets within the city. Keywords: NMT- Non Motorised Transport, NMV- Non Motorised Vehicles, MT- Motorised Transport

Controlling Wheelchair Using Brain as Biosensor

This project discusses about wheel chair controlled by brain based on Brain–computer interfaces (BCI). BCI’s are systems that can bypass conventional channels of communication (i.e., muscles and thoughts) to provide direct communication and control between the human brain and physical devices by translating different patterns of brain activity into commands in real time. The intention of the project is to develop a robot that can assist the disabled people in their daily life to do some work independent of others. Here, we analyse the brain wave signals. Human brain consists of millions of interconnected neurons, the pattern of interaction between these neurons are represented as thoughts and emotional states. According to the human thoughts, this pattern will be changing which in turn produce different electrical waves. A muscle contraction will also generate a unique electrical signal. All these electrical waves are sensed by the brain wave sensor and different patterns are used for controlling a wheel chair.

A Modular Mobile Robotic Platform to Assist People with Different Degrees of Disability

Robotics to support elderly people in living independently and to assist disabled people in carrying out the activities of daily living independently have demonstrated good results. Basically, there are two approaches: one of them is based on mobile robot assistants, such as Care-O-bot, PR2, and Tiago, among others; the other one is the use of an external robotic arm or a robotic exoskeleton fixed or mounted on a wheelchair. In this paper, a modular mobile robotic platform to assist moderately and severely impaired people based on an upper limb robotic exoskeleton mounted on a robotized wheel chair is presented. This mobile robotic platform can be customized for each user’s needs by exploiting its modularity. Finally, experimental results in a simulated home environment with a living room and a kitchen area, in order to simulate the interaction of the user with different elements of a home, are presented. In this experiment, a subject suffering from multiple sclerosis performed different activities of daily living (ADLs) using the platform in front of a group of clinicians composed of nurses, doctors, and occupational therapists. After that, the subject and the clinicians replied to a usability questionnaire. The results were quite good, but two key factors arose that need to be improved: the complexity and the cumbersome aspect of the platform.

Promising Perspective to Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Treatment: Nutraceuticals and Phytochemicals

: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is in the top three list of all dystrophies with an approximate 1:8000 incidence. It is not a life-threatening disease; however, progression of the disease extends over being wheel-chair bound. Despite some drug trials have been continuing, including DUX4 inhibition, TGF-ß inhibition and resokine which promote healthier muscle, there is not an applicable treatment option for FSHD today. Still, there is a need for new agent or agents to heal, to stop or at least to slow down the muscle wasting. Current FSHD studies with nutraceuticals as vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, zinc, selenium, and phytochemicals as curcumin or genistein, daidzein flavonoids provide promising treatment strategies. In this review we will present the clinical and molecular nature of FSHD and focus on nutraceuticals and phytochemicals that may alleviate FSHD. Via interconnection of impaired pathophysiological FSHD pathways together with nutraceuticals and phytochemicals in the light of literature, we present both studied and novel approaches that can contribute FSHD treatment.