Patents Examined by B. J Broadhead
  • Patent number: 6842692
    Abstract: A wheelchair navigation system having motorized wheelchair which is powered by at least one onboard battery, and a battery charger. The navigation system also has a filter-based estimator with interface software running that is operated on an onboard laptop computer. Dual cameras, proximity sensors, microphones, and rotation sensors for the wheels are mounted to the wheelchair. Small markers are placed on the walls of a location or room. The navigation system uses the proximity sensors, rotation sensors and cameras in conjunction with the specialized software to determine where objects or impediments are located in the room and thereby redirect the path of the wheelchair so as to avoid such objects. The wheelchair is walked through the marked location thereby ‘teaching’ various paths which are recorded in the computer and recalled later when the wheelchair is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Notre Dame
    Inventors: Linda Fehr, Steven B. Skaar, Guillermo Del Castillo