Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Determining and Controlling External Power Output During Regular Handrim Wheelchair Propulsion
Published on: February 5, 2020
The smart wheelchair component system
Richard Simpson1, Edmund Lopresti, Steve Hayashi
1University of Pittsburgh, Forbes Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. ris20@pitt.edu
Abstract:
While the needs of many individuals with disabilities can be satisfied with power wheelchairs, some members of the disabled community find it difficult or impossible to operate a standard power wheelchair. To accommodate this population, several researchers have used technologies originally developed for mobile robots to create "smart wheelchairs" that reduce the physical, perceptual, and cognitive skills necessary to operate a power wheelchair. We are developing a Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS) that can be added to a variety of commercial power wheelchairs with minimal modification. This paper describes the design of a prototype of the SWCS, which has been evaluated on wheelchairs from four different manufacturers.
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