Research and development of a brain-controlled wheelchair for paralyzed patients

Abstract

Smart wheelchairs play a significant role in supporting disabled people. Individuals with motor function impairments due to some disorders such as strokes or multiple sclerosis face frequent moving difficulties. Hence, they need constant support from an assistant. This paper presents a brain-controlled wheelchair model to assist disabled and paralyzed patients. The wheelchair is controlled by interpreting Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, also known as brain waves. In the EEG technique, an electrode cap is positioned on the user’s scalp to receive EEG signals, which are detected and transformed by the Arduino microcontroller into motion commands, which drive the wheelchair. The proposed wheelchair is implemented using an Arduino-based robot controlled by a human brain wave using a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). The human brain wave is captured using a low-cost Neurosky MindWave headset. The proposed wheelchair has the poten-tial to have an immense effect on the healthcare industry. The use of this brain-controlled wheelchair can improve the quality of life of a paralyzed patient.