Publications:Torque Sensor Free Power Assisted Wheelchair
From ISLAB/CAISR
Title | Torque Sensor Free Power Assisted Wheelchair |
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Author | Daniel Petersson and Jonas Johansson and Ulf Holmberg and Björn Åstrand |
Year | 2007 |
PublicationType | Conference Paper |
Journal | |
HostPublication | ICORR '07 : 2007 IEEE 10th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics : June 12-15, Noordwijk, The Netherlands |
Conference | 10th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics, June 12-15, Noordwijk, The Netherlands |
DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICORR.2007.4428421 |
Diva url | http://hh.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?searchId=1&pid=diva2:239017 |
Abstract | A power assisted wheelchair combines human power, which is delivered by the arms through the pushrims, with electrical motors, which are powered by a battery. Todays electric power assisted wheelchairs use force sensors to measure the torque exerted on the pushrims by the user. This leads to rather expensive and clumsy constructions. A new design, which only relies on velocity feedback, thus avoiding the use of expensive force sensors in the pushrims, is proposed in this paper. The control design is based on a simple PD-structure with only two design parameters easily tuned to fit a certain user; one parameter is used to adjust the amplification of the user’s force and the other one is used to change the lasting time of the propulsion influence. Since the new assisting control system only relies on the velocity, the torque sensor free power assisted wheelchair will besides giving the user assisting power also give an assistant, which pushes the wheelchair, additional power. This is a big advantage compared to the pushrim activated one, where this benefit for the assistant is not possible. |