Power assist control of robotic wheelchair based on visual feedback

Abstract

This paper describes a vision based self-velocity estimation and its feedback system under force/torque sensor-less power assisting control of wheelchair robot. In this method, three dimensional information obtained by stereo images, and the optical flow vectors are also used for self-velocity estimation in real-time. The human force is estimated by sensor-less reaction force observer, and the assisting force is calculated by using its estimated force and virtual impedance model. In the paper, the force based assist function is integrated into visual feedback motion controller. This approach using vision and force based assist control makes it possible to facilitate the direct intelligent interactions between human force and environments such as human following assist, obstacle avoidance one and so on. Such assist functions are changeable by the selection of the weighting matrix in the velocity estimation, which is based on weighted least square solutions from optical flow vectors. The validity of the proposed approach is verified by several experimental results. © 2008 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.