Usability evaluation of attitude control for a robotic wheelchair for tip mitigation in outdoor environments. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sivakanthan, Sivashankar; Candiotti, Jorge L; Sundaram, S. Andrea; Battles, Courtney; Daveler, Brandon J; Chung, Cheng-Shiu; Grindle, Garrett G; Cooper, Rosemarie; Dicianno, Brad E; Cooper, Rory A
• Is Part Of: Medical engineering & physics. Volume 82(2020)
• Page Start: 86
• Page End: 96
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Accessibility -- Terrain negotiation -- Wheelchairs -- Assistive technology -- Robotics -- Attitude control suspension; EPW Electric Powered Wheelchair -- MEBot Mobility Enhancement roBotic Wheelchair -- IMU Inertial Measurement Unit -- QUEST Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology -- NASA-TLX NASA Task Load Index; Biomedical engineering -- Periodicals; Biomedical Engineering -- Periodicals; Physics -- Periodicals; Génie biomédical -- Périodiques; Biomedical engineering; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2020.07.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4533

Abstract

Highlights: Electric Powered Wheelchair (EPW) users are at risk of tips and falls when driving in outdoor environments. MEBot increases the stability and safety of the user by adjusting its seat to ground changes. MEBot was compared to the participant's own EPW in controlled outdoor tasks. MEBot maintained its seat leveled compared to commercial EPWs in uneven terrains. Participants reported no difference in satisfaction and task load demand between EPWs. Abstract: Tips and falls are the most prominent causes of wheelchair accidents that occur when driving on uneven terrains and less accessible environments. The Mobility Enhancement Robotic Wheelchair (MEBot) was designed to improve the stability of Electric Powered Wheelchairs (EPW) when driving over these environments. MEBot offers six independently height-adjustable wheels to control attitude of its seat over uneven and angled terrains. Its attitude control application uses an inertial measurement unit to detect seat angles changes to adjust each wheel-height accordingly. MEBot was compared to commercial EPWs in terms of EPW performance (seat angle changes and response time) and participant perception (satisfaction and task-load demand) towards each device. Ten participants drove their own EPW and MEBot for five trials each through driving tasks that replicated outdoor environments. Results showed less change in the pitch angle when driving up and down a 10° slope using MEBot (5.6 ± 1.6°, 6.6 ± 0.5°) compared to the participants' own EPW (14.6 ± 2.6°, 12.1 ± 2.6°). However, MEBot required 7.8 ± 3.0 s to self-adjust to the minimum angle when driving over the tasks. Participants reported no difference in satisfaction and task load demand between EPWs due to similarities in comfort and ease-of-use. Improving the speed and efficiency of MEBot's attitude control application will be addressed in future work based upon participants' feedback.