Researchers to Develop Intelligent Wheelchair
From: Innovations Report - 05/21/2004
By: Kate Cleveland

Researchers from the University of Essex have teamed up with scientists from
the Institute of Automation in Beijing to develop an affordable robotic
wheelchair to be used by the elderly and people with disabilities. Funding
for the intelligent wheelchair, RoboChair, which will have a user-friendly
man-machine interface, a new vision system, and a 3G wireless communication
system, will come from grants from the Royal Society and the Chinese Academy
of Sciences. The Human-Centered Robotics team from the University of Essex
will build algorithms for sensor fusion, map-building, intelligent
decision-making, and tele-operation through the Internet over 3G mobile
phones. And researchers at the Institute of Automation will build prototype
hardware and control software, such as servo drivers, DSP-based control
systems, sensor systems, and motion control algorithms. RoboChair will enable
caregivers and relatives to monitor and communicate with the user remotely at
any time. "Today's technology development in general and pervasive computing
technology has reached a stage where we can envisage a solution which allows
the elderly and disabled to have necessary mobility to both stay at home and
go out independently with the monitoring and services provided from the
remote sites," says professor Huosheng Hu, who will head the Essex computer
scientists. 

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