Powered Wheelchair Equipped with Voice Control and Automatic Locomotion

Abstract

The powered wheelchair which helps the handicapped users return to work had been developed successfully. The seat of the wheelchair can shift translationally, expand vertically and rotate. Its truck can move in any direction and rotate around its center. These functions enable the user’s hands to reach as far as the unhandicapped’s hands can. The optional functions of automatic locomotion control and/or voice control yield remarkable benefits. The angular rate sensors called vibration gyroscope were introduced to the guidance system which makes the wheelchair move automatically along the programmed path. The voice control system which can recognize the speech command of uttered isolated words from the fixed user. The specifications and system construction of the automatic locomotion control and voice control are described.