Smart Power Assistance Module for Manual Wheelchairs
By Simpson, Richard; Guo, Songfeng; Ding, Dan; RESNA 26th International Annual Conference 2003,Publication Date: 2003
Paper discusses the development of the Smart Power Assistance Module (SPAM), which is a system that can add smart technology to manual wheelchairs. The system was designed as a mobility solution for people with visual and physical disabilities. The SPAM is based on the Yamaha JWII Power Assist Wheelchair Hubs, which meet the mobility needs of a population of users who (1) need a mobility aid, (2) lack the upper-body strength or function to propel a manual wheelchair, and (3) do not want a powered mobility device. The SPAM is expected to be able to sense the propulsive force applied to each rear wheel of the wheelchair, the magnitude and velocity of rotation of each rear wheel, and the location of obstacles and drop-offs relative to the wheelchair. Information from the sensors will be collected by a computer, which will run the system’s control software, integrate information about the user’s input and the surrounding environment, and pass command signals to the JWII system’s microprocessor. The SPAM is intended to be an after-market addition to Yamaha’s JWII hubs. In addition to serving the needs of people with visual disabilities, the SPAM is expected to function as an intelligent one-arm drive mechanism for people with hemiplegia.
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) (Website:http://www.resna.org)
