Electric Wheelchair from MIT navigates with help of Wi-Fi
The Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT) has recently invented a self-navigating electric wheelchair. But this is no ordinary electric wheelchair that operates through GPS because is uses the latest Wi-Fi technology that can also be used indoors. To operate this device, it has a microphone and screen for visual and audio input options to make it easier to use. According to its one of its developers Nicolas Roy, the Wi-Fi operated wheelchair can learn and adapt to its user through voice recognition. Since it can be used indoors, it will be able to identify a certain building, as to where the user has to go even on the first “orientation.â€
For its initial test, there were 100 patients with multiple sclerosis and brain diseases at a Boston Home in Dorchester who tried out this system. Other considerations for improvement are still studied at MIT by other scientists involved in this project that uses Wi-Fi like side-field cameras and laser range finders setup with computers to create an internal map around the environment as the user moves around, even outdoors. Roy also thought about adding collision-avoidance system that uses detectors for the wheelchair to refrain from bumping into walls and other wheelchairs, as well as other obstacles.
