GROUP 7THOMAS BLASCHAK

JOSHUA DAVISANTHONY HOMCHENKO

CHARLES HUPPNANABAYIN WILSON

SMART WHEELCHAIR

INTRODUCTION

Smart wheelchair designed to help individuals with ALS

Features: brain-controlled, fail-safe mechanisms

Ideal Project: Additional funds and time add the ability for more features and a wheelchair built to focus on the comfort and health needs of individuals with ALS

Project Scope: Integrating brain-control and fail-safe mechanisms with a power wheelchair

ALS – Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Also known as Lou Gehrig’s DiseaseProgressive and fatal neurological disease

that attacks nerve cells which control voluntary muscles

Individuals lose their strength and ability to move their body

ALS does not impair a person’s mind or intelligence

Source: ALS Fact Sheet, www.ninds.nih.gov

EEG & NUERO-HEADSETS

Electroencephalography (EEG) is the recording of electrical activity along the scalp. EEG measures voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain (Wikipedia)

Neuro-headsets give the ability to detect and read brain-signals

Multiple nuero-headsets are on the market from companies such as NeuroSky and Emotiv

Higher end headsets give the ability to read raw EEG data

EMOTIV EPOC

Source: www.emotiv.com

EMOTIV EPOC

High resolution, multi-channel, wireless neuroheadset

14 sensors plus 2 references to read electric signals produced by the brain

Can detect the user’s thoughts, feelings, and expressions in real time

Gyroscope12 hour battery lifeEmotiv App

Source: www.emotiv.com/epoc/features.php

OBJECTIVES

Brain-controlled wheelchair Mobility – user independence

Incorporate fail-safe mechanisms Prevent collisions with objects and people Avoid drop-off hazards such as staircases Provide solution to user sleeping with headset

Retrofit power wheelchair Interface with existing electronics

PROJECT PLAN

Purchase power wheelchairInterface current electronics with

hardware/software to provide brain-control functionality and fail-safe mechanisms

TestingContingency Plan: demonstrate the idea with

a small robot

USE CASE

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

STATE TRANSITION DIAGRAM

SEQUENCE DIAGRAM

COLLISION / DROP-OFF AVOIDANCE

Sensors – proximity sensorsMicrocontroller – Dragonflybot board will be

used to interface the sensors with the laptop for processing

SLEEP DETECTION

Very important fail safe mechanism.Ensures the safety of the user when he/she falls

asleep Headset detects brain activity that signifies sleep patterns Program motors to power off whenever headset detects such

patternsSleep detection requires observing the raw EEG data

that the headset reads from the brain. Problem: Emotiv EPOC EEG data is encrypted, and therefore

will not allow us to access it normally Solution: Open source interface to the EPOC called the

Emokit project. It’s a Python library that pulls the raw EEG data from the EPOC.

RETROFIT POWER WHEELCHAIR

Buy a power wheelchairEnsure usability of current motors and electronicsLaptop computer will be used to interface new

components with the existing electronics and motors

Interface with the wheelchair’s motors via laptop which will be running the code to interpret the neuro-headset readings, sensor readings, and send signals to the motors, as shown in the system architecture

Laptop – Windows based with open source software, Emotiv SDK

TESTING

TESTING

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Make the lives of those affected by ALS easier

Retrofit a power wheelchair to allow individuals with ALS, who have lost muscle movement, the ability to be mobile and gain a sense of independence

Design the wheelchair to be safe both for the user and individuals around

POTENTIAL

Brain-controlled wheelchair could be useful for other disabilities, such as paralysis

The wheelchair could be adapted for outdoor use

Additional features: Wi-Fi connectivity, voice commands, emergency contact capabilities, awareness of building exits and elevators, address the comfort and health needs of individuals with ALS

CONCLUSION

Smart wheelchair for patients with ALSObjectives

Brain-controlled Fail-safe mechanisms Retrofit power wheelchair

Interface sensors and controller, wheelchair motors and controllers, EPOC headset with current wheelchair electronics

SOURCES

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/amyotrophiclateralsclerosis/detail_ALS.htm

http://emotiv.com/http://emotiv.com/epoc/features.phphttp://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroencephalography

http://www.evbplus.com/c32_modules/bbu_hc12_68hc12_9s12_hcs12.html

QUESTIONS?