ELECTRIC POWERED WHEELCHAIR DRIVING OUTDOORS: THE IDENTIFICATION OF DRIVING OBSTACLES & STRATEGIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ADVANCED CONTROLLER

When an electric powered wheelchair (EPW) user leaves the confines of their home and ventures into the outdoors, they are confronted with a wide variety of terrain and driving conditions. Very little research has been done in trying to understand the difficulties EPW users face when driving outdoors. The first section describes a focus group study of 31 EPW users with the objective of assessing EPW users' comfort level when driving in various outdoor conditions. Questionnaire and focus group transcripts showed that the EPW user's top concerns were slipping, getting stuck, and tipping. The driving conditions most avoided were in the general themes of soft surfaces, angled surfaces, and adverse conditions.The second section presents in detail the electronic and mechanical design of an advanced controller for an EPW. A single board computer provides the computational power and storage space needed to execute normal operations, complex safety algorithms, and extensive data logging. Sensors provide feedback on velocity and inertia. A rugged aluminum enclosure protects the electronics. The advanced controller is used to research better ways to provide safety and customization for the EPW user. The outcome of this project as a whole was to demonstrate what can be done with an EPW to enhance the mobility and safety of its occupant