We've already seen robotic wheelchairs designed to navigate autonomously, but it looks like some researchers at Saitama University's Human-Robot Interaction Center are taking a slightly different approach with their latest project. They've developed a wheelchair equipped with a camera and a laser sensor that instead of tracking its surroundings, simply locks onto a nearby human companion and follows them around. It can even apparently anticipate the direction the person is going to go by using a distance sensor to check which way their shoulders are facing. Still no word on a commercial version, but the wheelchair is already being field-tested in care centers, where the researchers say it could be particularly useful if the facilities are short-staffed. Head on past the break to check it out in action.
Continue reading Japanese researchers develop robotic wheelchair that can follow humans
Japanese researchers develop robotic wheelchair that can follow humans originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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