Evaluation of 3D obstacle avoidance algorithm for smart powered wheelchairs

This research investigates the feasibility for the development of a novel 3D collision avoidance system for smart powered wheelchairs operating in a cluttered setting by using a scenario generated in a simulated environment using the Robot Operating System development framework. We constructed an innovative interface with a commercially available powered wheelchair system in order to extract joystick data to provide the input for interacting with the simulation. By integrating with a standard PWC control system the user can operate the PWC joystick with the model responding in real-time. The wheelchair model was equipped with a Kinect depth sensor segmented into three layers, two representing the upper body and torso, and a third layer fused with a LIDAR for the leg section. When using the assisted driving algorithm there was a 91.7% reduction in collisions and the course completion rate was 100% compared to 87.5% when not using the algorithm.