Autonomous robotic wheelchair with collision-avoidance navigation

Abstract

The objective of this research is to demonstrate a robotic wheelchair moving in an\nunknown environment with collision-avoidance navigation. A real-time path-planning\nalgorithm was implemented by detecting the range to obstacles and by tracking specific\nlight sources used as beacons. Infrared sensors were used for range sensing, and\nlight-sensitive resistors were used to track the lights.\nTo optimize the motion trajectory, it was necessary to modify the original motor\ncontrollers of the electrical wheelchair so that it could turn in a minimum turning radius\nof 28.75 cm around its middle point of axle. Then, with these kinematics, the real-time\npath planning algorithm of the robotic wheelchair is simplified. In combination with the\nnewly developed wireless Internet-connection capability, the robotic wheelchair will be\nable to navigate in an unknown environment.\nThe experimental results presented in this thesis include the performance of the control\nsystem, the motion trajectory of the two driving wheels turning in a minimum radius, and the motion trajectory of the real-time path-planning in a real-life testing environment.\nThese experimental results verified that the robotic wheelchair could move successfully\nin an unknown environment with collision-avoidance navigation.