Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A (대한기계학회논문집A)

The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (대한기계학회)
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Design and Control of Hybrid a Powered Wheelchair for the Elderly

고령자를 위한 하이브리드형 전동 휠체어의 설계 및 제어

  • Yoon, Tae-Su (Dept. of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Science and Technology) ;
  • Ann, Sung-Jo (Dept. of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Science and Technology) ;
  • Kim, Sang-Min (Dept. of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Science and Technology) ;
  • Han, Young-Bin (Dept. of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Science and Technology) ;
  • Kim, Jung-Yup (Dept. of Mechanical System Design Engineering, Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Science and Technology)
  • 윤태수 (서울과학기술대학교 기계시스템디자인공학과) ;
  • 안성조 (서울과학기술대학교 기계시스템디자인공학과) ;
  • 김상민 (서울과학기술대학교 기계시스템디자인공학과) ;
  • 한영빈 (서울과학기술대학교 기계시스템디자인공학과) ;
  • 김정엽 (서울과학기술대학교 기계시스템디자인공학과)
  • Received : 2016.04.07
  • Accepted : 2016.09.22
  • Published : 2016.12.01
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Abstract

This paper describes the development of a hybrid-powered wheelchair (HPW) for the elderly. The proposed HPW has novel mechanical and control features compared with conventional powered wheelchairs. An ergonomic back-braking mechanism was designed in order to stop the wheels easily. In terms of control features, the HPW remarkably reduces the muscle power required by combining various assistive functions, such as wheel torque assistance, friction/inertia compensation, gravity compensation, and the one-hand driving algorithm. For wheel torque assistance, strain gauges were attached to the hand-rim in order to measure the wheel torque applied by a human. Gyroscopes and an accelerometer were attached to the wheel and chair respectively for friction and inertia compensation. An inclinometer was attached for gravity compensation and the one-hand driving algorithm was included for patients who can only use one hand. The one-hand driving algorithm controls the angular velocity of the uncontrolled wheel by using a gyroscope and pressure sensors attached to the bottom of the seat. Finally, the performance of the proposed motion assisted algorithm was verified through various experiments.

본 논문은 고령자를 위한 하이브리형 전동 휠체어의 개발에 대해서 서술하였다. 개발된 하이브리드형 휠체어는 기존 전동 휠체어에 비해 기구적 및 제어적 특징을 가지고 있다. 기구적 특징으로써 인체공학적 등받이 브레이크 메커니즘을 새롭게 고안하였고, 이로부터 고령자들이 몸동작을 이용하여 손쉽게 제동을 할 수 있도록 하였다. 제어적 특징으로써, 휠 토크 보조, 마찰/관성보상, 중력보상 및 한 손 구동과 같은 다양한 동력보조 기능을 융합하여 고령 탑승자의 근력 부담을 현격히 감소시켰다. 휠 토크의 보조를 위해 핸드림에 스트레인게이지를 부착하여 탑승자가 가하는 휠 토크를 측정하였으며, 마찰보상과 관성보상을 위해 바퀴와 시트에 각각 자이로스코프와 가속도센서를 부착하였다. 또한, 중력보상을 위해 기울기 센서를 추가적으로 부착하였으며, 편마비 환자들과 같이 한 손 만을 사용할 수 있는 사용자들 위해서 시트 밑면에 부착된 압력 센서로부터 휠체어의 주행 방향을 인식하고 자이로스코프를 이용하여 반대편 휠의 각속도를 제어하는 한 손 주행 알고리즘을 새롭게 고안하였다. 최종적으로 본 연구에서 고안한 운동 보조 알고리즘의 성능을 각종 실험으로부터 검증하였다.

Keywords

References

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