Robotic Wheelchair Follows Voice Commands

Robotic Wheelchair Follows Voice Commands

Author JoeDigital

Powered wheelchairs are poised to enter the robotic world of tomorrow.

Powered wheelchairs are rolling into the robotic age!  Researchers at MIT are working on an autonomous robotic wheelchair that can be manuvered around the house with single spoken commands.  Because everyone has different speech patterns, the chairs are expected to be custom “fitted” to recognize the voice of their owners.

In order to work efficiently, these robotic chairs on wheels must be taken to each location, which is then identified by a spoken name, and stored in memory, along with a computerized map of how to get there.

If all goes well, the next step for autonomous wheelchairs is to equip then with robotic arms, allowing people with reduced grasping ability to “pick up” objects using the assitance of the chair they are using.  For the elderly and the severely disabled, these miraculous devices may be offering mobility and interaction in new ways that can broaden the scope of their daily lives.

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