Learning Wheelchair For Quadraplegic Persons

My Idea serial ID: 00492

Great advances have been made in wheelchair design and technology during the past few years. DEKA - Dean Kamen's organization, in particular, has developed a chair using the same gyroscopic protocols (I assume) as the Segway personal transport device. (e.g. two wheeled balancing capability) The engineering for the Roomba (TM) and similar area cleaning devices is also well developed for mapping and recurrent navigation. My proposal is to use the same or substantively similar engineering for self propelled wheelchairs, enabling intuitive (burned in) pathways through recognized terrain. Ideally, the user would navigate from one of a recognized set of start points, with the option of recurrent destinations available through simple prompts. Naturally, an instant defeat of the system should be available, as well as some required persistent timed input from the user to keep the system engaged. Again, ideally, the user could "tap" a joystick or other modality in a generally desired direction, and have the wheelchair initialize a set pathway. Thus, the user would merely initialize and lead the chair, and have the memory assume from the available pathways. Known hazards would be identified, such as routes that are inconsistent with the abilities of the conveyance and known hazards. Certainly GPS (Geographic Positioning Systems) could be integrated with the learned routes. . . I believe that the technology is all available currently, it is merely a question of integration and acceptance. Again, an intant defeat would be mandatory. As a comfort level, the system could and should incorporate recognition of identified danger areas with an automatic stop and user inquiry feature. Essentially, the system as proposed only mimics a person's natural spatial sense and memory. I do not think it would be overreaching to request a limited licence for this purpose from the Roomba parent organization, the aerospace industry, and or DEKA, vis a vis Mr. Kamen.

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