Design and Implementation of a Smart Electric Omnidirectional Wheelchair Using Consumer Off-the-shelf Components

The design and prototype implementation of a smart electric omnidirectional wheelchair (SEOW) is presented through a detailed high-level and low-level design descriptions. The wheelchair is designed using re-purposed and re-used commercially available consumer components, while leveraging the power of embedded microcontrollers integrated with sensors and actuators. SEOW is designed to accommodate users with different disabilities through allowing multiple modes of control: joystick, smartphone, and head gesture control. Furthermore, the implemented design offers the patient an unimaginable degree-of-freedom in mobility with omnidirectional movement enabled via four independently controlled DC motors connected to four mecanum wheels. An object avoidance override of the user control is enabled in case of an immanent collision. Finally, an integrated biomedical monitoring subsystem is designed to measure the body temperature and heart-rate of the user, and contact medical professionals at any sign of distress.