Controlling a motorized electric wheelchair based on face tilting

Abstract

AbstractDisability, specifically impaired upper and/or lower limbs, has a direct impact on the patients’ quality of life. Nowadays, motorized wheelchairs supported by a mobility-aided technique have been devised to improve the quality of life of these patients by increasing their independence. This study aims to present a platform to control a motorized wheelchair based on face tilting. A real-time tracking system of face tilting using a webcam and a microcontroller circuit has been designed and implemented. The designed system is dedicated to control the movement directions of the motorized wheelchair. Four commands were adequate to perform the required movements for the motorized wheelchair (forward, right, and left, as well as stopping status). The platform showed an excellent performance regarding controlling the motorized wheelchair using face tilting, and the position of the eyes was shown as the most useful face feature to track face tilting.