Assistive driving system for a wheelchair and method for controlling assistive driving system
First Claim
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1. A method for activating an assistive drive force to a wheelchair, comprising:
- providing a user with an element configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s hand or wrist and comprising a sensor configured to detect acceleration;
activating the assistive drive force in response to a detection of at least a first acceleration and a second acceleration, each of the first and second accelerations having(i) an axis that is substantially normal to the user'"'"'s palm, and(ii) a threshold magnitude,and wherein(iii) the second acceleration occurs within a predefined time interval after the first acceleration.
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes a system and method for a providing an assistive driving force to a wheelchair.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for activating an assistive drive force to a wheelchair, comprising:
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providing a user with an element configured to be worn on the user'"'"'s hand or wrist and comprising a sensor configured to detect acceleration; activating the assistive drive force in response to a detection of at least a first acceleration and a second acceleration, each of the first and second accelerations having (i) an axis that is substantially normal to the user'"'"'s palm, and (ii) a threshold magnitude, and wherein (iii) the second acceleration occurs within a predefined time interval after the first acceleration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
and wherein (iii) the second acceleration occurs within a predefined time interval after the first acceleration. -
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second acceleration occurs within 2 seconds after the first acceleration.
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12. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second accelerations is in a direction away from the user.
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13. The method of claim 10, wherein after deactivating the assistive drive force, the assistive drive force cannot be activated in response to the detection of accelerations if those accelerations occur within 5 seconds of deactivation.
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14. The method of claim 1, wherein the assistive drive force is provided by a power assist system.
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15. The method of claim 14, wherein data from the sensor is wirelessly sent to the power assist system.
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16. The method of claim 1, wherein the combination of the first and second accelerations indicate that the user has double-tapped a hand against a hand rim of the wheelchair.
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17. A wheelchair configured to deliver an assistive drive force in response to the detection of at least a first acceleration and a second acceleration by a sensor provided on an element that is worn on a user'"'"'s hand or wrist
wherein each of the first and second accelerations have (i) an axis that is substantially normal to the user'"'"'s palm, and (ii) a threshold magnitude, and wherein (iii) the second acceleration occurs within a predefined time interval after the first acceleration.
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18. A system for providing an assistive driving force to a wheelchair, comprising:
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(a) a power assist drive system; (b) an element configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s hand or wrist, the element comprising a sensor configured to detect acceleration; (c) a processor configured to receive data from the sensor, process the data, and activate or deactivate the power assist drive system; wherein the processor is configured to activate the power assist drive system in response to a detection of at least a first acceleration and a second acceleration, the first and second accelerations each having (i) an axis that is substantially normal to the user'"'"'s palm, and (ii) a threshold magnitude, and wherein the second acceleration occurs within a defined time interval after the first acceleration.
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Specification