Body
Robotics autonomy can help with obstacle avoidance, navigation, route planning and spatially-constrained maneuvers. We are developing a shared-autonomy wheelchair that consists of modular software and hardware components, where the machine automation furthermore is customized to the physical needs and personal preferences of the user [6,11]. Our system also prioritizes simple integration with existing commercial chairs and control interfaces---to mitigate costs not covered by insurance and thus accelerate adoption by users.
For this platform, we have developed perception algorithms able to detect doorways [3], inclines and drop-offs [17] and docking locations [7]. We have conducted a study with spinal cord injured volunteers that evaluates multiple control-sharing paradigms and control interfaces.
A recent collaboration with Innovative Design Labs aims to transition the control-sharing components of our system in particular to a commercial product. Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH/SBIR R43-HD085317).