Smart wheelchairs offer independent mobility to people with severe disabilities
From: Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development,
      Volume 42, Number 4 - page 423
By: Richard C. Simpson, PhD, ATP

A summary of the state-of-the-science and future directions for research on
Smart wheelchairs is presented in this study. While the needs of many
individuals with disabilities can be satisfied with traditional manual or
powered wheelchairs, a segment of the disabled community find it difficult or
impossible to use wheelchairs independently. To accommodate this population,
researchers have used technologies originally developed for mobile robots to
create "smart wheelchairs." This study identified several barriers that must
be overcome before smart wheelchairs can become widely used. One significant
technical issue is the cost versus accuracy trade-off that must be made with
existing sensors. Another is the lack of a communication standard for
wheelchair input devices and motor controllers.  

Read the entire article at:
http://www.vard.org/jour/05/42/4/pdf/simpson.pdf

