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Multi-modal control framework for a semi-autonomous wheelchair using modular sensor designs

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Abstract

This paper presents the hardware and software control framework for a semi-auton omous wheelchair. The hardware design incorporates modular and reconfigurable sensors and corresponding low-level software architecture. Two control schemes are discussed. Assisted control that augments the user inputs by providing functionalities such as obstacle avoidance and wall following. And, semi-autonomous navigation which takes higher level destination goals and executes a simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm. We also propose an adaptive motion control with a online parameter estimation. The paper presents both experimental and simulation results.

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1135854.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Rd., Worcester, MA, 01609, USA

    Dmitry Sinyukov, Ross Desmond, Matthew Dickerman, James Fleming, Jerome Schaufeld & Taskin Padir

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  1. Dmitry Sinyukov
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  2. Ross Desmond
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  3. Matthew Dickerman
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  4. James Fleming
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  5. Jerome Schaufeld
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Correspondence to Dmitry Sinyukov.

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Sinyukov, D., Desmond, R., Dickerman, M. et al. Multi-modal control framework for a semi-autonomous wheelchair using modular sensor designs. Intel Serv Robotics 7, 145–155 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11370-014-0149-7

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