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Wheelchair Base
The Smart Wheelchair is built on a compact power base. Virtually any seating system can be fitted to it, such as a CAPS II. A Controls Dynamic DX control system gives excellent control and manoeuvrability. The Smart Controller acts like a second DX joystick, and the various Smart systems and controls plug into the Controller. The Smart Wheelchair ‘tools’ can be easily selected in different combinations to suit the pilot and environment.
User Tools
The chair can be driven directly with one, two, three or four switches, joysticks, or a scanning direction selector. The scanner can be operated with one or two switches, and can even speak out the directions (auditory scanning) as they are offered.
Integrated Communication and Mobility
The Smart Wheelchair can be driven by a laptop computer running programs like Clicker, or a communication aid, such as a DynaVox, via the RS232 port. There is a ‘swap switch’ facility for controlling the chair and communication aid form the same switch.
Motion Tools
Bump Tools
The Smart Wheelchair has warp-round bumpers with zoned pneumatic sensors that detect collisions. The chair can respond in several different ways:
- Bump and Stop detects the collision and stops the chair
- Bump and Backoff stops the chair then reverses away from the obstacle
- Bump and Turn stops, backs off, then turns the chair to a different direction
- The speeds and distances, and direction and angle of turn, can all be configures for the user and situation
Line Follower Tools
An infra-red track follower is fitted to the Smart Wheelchair, which lets it follow reflective tape stuck to the floor. Tracks can be easily laid around classrooms, schools and homes. The tape is tough and will stick to most surfaces including wood, vinyl and shallow pile carpet.
The basic Line Follower lets the pilot follow tracks made with reflective tape on the floor from room to room, or helps them negotiate narrow doorways and tight corners.
Line Following with junctions lets the pilot choose tracks at junctions.
Tape can also be laid round dangerous features, like stairwells, to stop the chair reaching them.
Observer
The speech synthesiser can confirm commands back to the pilot (“I’m going forward”), offer choices at track junctions (“Which way now - left or right?”), and report events (“Oops, I’ve hit something - I’ll back off and try going left”).
ToolBox
All the speeds, settings and Tools can be selected and adjusted with an easy-to-use ‘ToolBox’.
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