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Voice controlled wheelchairs: fine control by humming
Nathalia Peixoto1, Hossein Ghaffari Nik, Hamid Charkhkar
1George Mason University, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine
|July 23, 2013
Summary
This study introduces smooth control via humming, a novel method for intuitive device interaction. Humming frequency variations translate to device speed, demonstrated effectively with a powered wheelchair.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Assistive Technology
- Bioacoustics
Background:
- Current voice command systems lack intuitive smooth control capabilities.
- Manual control of assistive devices can be challenging for some users.
- Developing seamless and intuitive human-computer interfaces remains an ongoing challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and implement a novel humming control technique for intuitive device operation.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of humming control using a powered wheelchair prototype.
- To explore signal processing methods for real-time frequency analysis of vocal cord vibrations.
Main Methods:
- Development of a humming control system utilizing an accelerometer to measure vocal cord vibrations.
- Implementation of a powered wheelchair hardware prototype controlled by humming frequency.
- Application of signal processing techniques for real-time frequency detection and speech recognition.
Main Results:
- The humming control system achieved over 80% speech recognition accuracy at signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) above 8dB.
- 100% accuracy was achieved in smooth control and frequency detection across all tested SNRs.
- The system demonstrated effective translation of humming frequency variations into powered wheelchair speed.
Conclusions:
- Humming control offers a viable and intuitive method for smooth device operation, particularly for assistive technologies.
- The developed system shows high performance and potential for broader applications in human-computer interaction.
- Further research into humming control could enhance accessibility and user experience in various technological domains.
