Wang, Hongwu
(2012)
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN ADVANCED REAL-TIME ELECTRICAL POWERED WHEELCHAIR CONTROLLER.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
This is the latest version of this item.
Abstract
Advances in Electric Powered Wheelchairs (EPW) have improved mobility for people with disabilities as well as older adults, and have enhanced their integration into society. Some of the issues still present in EPW lie in the difficulties when encountering different types of terrain, and access to higher or low surfaces. To this end, an advanced real-time electrical powered wheelchair controller was developed. The controller was comprised of a hardware platform with sensors measuring the speed of the driving, caster wheels and the acceleration, with a single board computer for implementing the control algorithms in real-time, a multi-layer software architecture, and modular design. A model based real-time speed and traction controller was developed and validated by simulation. The controller was then evaluated via driving over four different surfaces at three specified speeds. Experimental results showed that model based control performed best on all surfaces across the speeds compared to PID (proportional-integral-derivative) and Open Loop control. A real-time slip detection and traction control algorithm was further developed and evaluated by driving the EPW over five different surfaces at three speeds. Results showed that the performance of anti-slip control was consistent on the varying surfaces at different speeds. The controller was also tested on a front wheel drive EPW to evaluate a forwarding tipping detection and prevention algorithm. Experimental results showed that the tipping could be accurately detected as it was happening and the performance of the tipping prevention strategy was consistent on the slope across different speeds. A terrain-dependent EPW user assistance system was developed based on the controller. Driving rules for wet tile, gravel, slopes and grass were developed and validated by 10 people without physical disabilities. The controller was also adapted to the Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance (PerMMA) Generation II, which is an advanced power wheelchair with a flexible mobile base, allowing it to adjust the positions of each of the four casters and two driving wheels. Simulations of the PerMMA Gen II system showed that the mobile base controller was able to climb up to 8” curb and maintain passenger’s posture in a comfort position.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
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| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
11 June 2012 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
2 December 2011 |
| Approval Date: |
11 June 2012 |
| Submission Date: |
20 February 2012 |
| Access Restriction: |
1 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 1 year. |
| Number of Pages: |
200 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences > Rehabilitation Science |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Real-time, electrical powered wheelchair, controller, terrain dependent driving, stair climbing, mobility, modeling and simulation |
| Date Deposited: |
11 Jun 2012 16:20 |
| Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 13:58 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/12113 |
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DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN ADVANCED REAL-TIME ELECTRICAL POWERED WHEELCHAIR CONTROLLER. (deposited 11 Jun 2012 16:20)
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