November 11, 2005 Source: University of Toronto:
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/051111-1800.asp Wheelchair collision avoidance technology wins international contest 3-D sensor could increase mobility, quality of life.
Nov 11/05
by Nicolle Wahl New technology that could reduce collisions for wheelchair users who have cognitive disabilities has won a team of researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia the top prize in an international design competition. Results of the CanestaVision™ contest, sponsored by San Jose, Calif.-based Canesta, Ltd., were announced Nov. 8. While many older adults lack the physical strength to manually propel a wheelchair, a powered wheelchair is not always safe for people with cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease because they aren’t always completely aware of their surroundings. But without this option, loss of mobility can lead to depression and a reduced quality of life. Professor Alex Mihailidis of occupational science and occupational therapy led the U of T/UBC team. In November 2004, the team entered the contest, which called on entrants to demonstrate novel applications of electronic perception technology that has high market potential, makes a substantive advance in computer or "machine" vision and has the ability to address an important or "real" need. Using a three-dimensional camera sensor made by Canesta, the U of T/UBC team created a device that scans the space nearly a metre ahead of a powered wheelchair, looking for potential obstacles. If something appears to be blocking the wheelchair’s path, the device stops the wheelchair and a voice prompts the wheelchair user towards an obstacle-free path. "There’s a huge amount of literature showing that improved mobility helps to improve quality of life," said Mihailovic. "It’s really going to have a great impact." The team’s entry won the top prize of $10,000 US, which they will use to expand the system’s range to the sides and back of a wheelchair and to develop software that creates a map of the wheelchair’s environment.
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