Control System Design for the 'Easy-to-Manipulate' Electrically Powered Wheelchair

Abstract

In this study, we are concerned with the problem of improving manipulability of the electrically powered wheelchair, which is supposed to become popular in the aging societies like Japan. Almost all current-products is the market have joysticks as their controlling device, but they are not so easy to handle because the control systems equipped with those wheelchairs are usually very sensitive to the human manipulation. Another difficulty arises from the fact that the elderies are not so familiar with using joysticks to manipulate the wheelchairs. Against these difficulties, our aim is to provide an 'easy-to-manipulate'wheelchair. We first have carried out an experiment to understand the cause of the stress for users of the wheelchair during manipulation, by performing a spectral analysis of the Heart Rate Variability. Based on that result, we have found it effective to employ 'model following control scheme' for the control of the powered wheelchair. Finally, sensory testing has been done to show the validity.