A Preliminary Approach to a Wheelchair with Embedded Exoskeleton Capabilities

Abstract

Combining mobility with assistance for the interaction with the environment is not a common issue in designing and developing a robotized wheelchair. This work describes a robotic hybrid platform that combines mobility with assistance to the user for actuation in its environment. It is conceived for wheelchair users having limited upper limbs actuation. This hybrid platform, a chair-exoskeleton architecture, faces the challenge of providing the required degrees of freedom to achieve an acceptable performance without having a significant implication in weight, size and cost, which increase would limit its real applicability and affordability. Therefore, its design looks for a solution that combines chair performances by providing mobility, posture and manipulation accessibility, with those of an exoskeleton which allow users with some remaining arms mobility to reach and manipulate objects either on the floor, at seating level, or at high level shelters. This paper describes the preliminary design of the wheelchair and the simulation of its operativity to deal with the required user interaction with the environment and points out the need of an intuitive and adapted interface for its control.