University of Twente Student Theses
Control Software Architecture for Power Wheelchair Navigation : A Step Towards Autonomy
Magar, Mrinal Bhalchandra (2024) Control Software Architecture for Power Wheelchair Navigation : A Step Towards Autonomy.
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| Abstract: | Self-driving wheelchairs have been developed but they have not reached the market as they depend on some propriety hardware which changes with new power wheelchair designs. Additionally, the power wheelchairs available in the market use a standard joystick module– which is unsuitable for our client. To overcome these challenges, this thesis presents the development of a modular control software architecture for navigating a power wheelchair, with minimal adaptation needed for the underlying power wheelchair hardware. Given the user's requirement to use an eye-controlled tablet, the architecture was designed to integrate this assistive device for wheelchair control. This project is funded by Ability Tech (Lab) which develops smart assistive devices for people with disabilities. The prototype named Power-Wheelchair-Add-On Control-System-Unit (PWAO CSU) was implemented and tested in this work. The architecture establishes communication interfaces between the power wheelchair and the user's assistive device. The prototype also features a PID controller for turning and a simple obstacle avoidance system for safety. The PID response and real-time performance of the system were evaluated. Additionally, the user test revealed that while the user could use the eye-controlled tablet to maneuver the power wheelchair, a significant delay was observed in the communication between the assistive device and the ROS 2 sub-system. Additionally, based on other findings, several recommendations were suggested to improve its functionality and performance. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Subject: | 50 technical science in general |
| Programme: | Systems and Control MSc (60359) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/100464 |
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