A Comprehensive Review of Smart Wheelchairs: Past, Present, and Future

• Published in: IEEE transactions on human-machine systems Vol. 47; no. 4; pp. 486 - 499
• Main Authors: Leaman, Jesse, Hung Manh La
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-08-2017; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Autonomous wheelchair; Batteries; Computers; Disabilities; Human factors; Innovations; intelligent wheelchair; Mobile robots; R&D; Research & development; robotic wheelchair; Sensors; smart wheelchair (SW); Technological innovation; Wheelchairs
• ISSN: 2168-2291; 2168-2305
• DOI: 10.1109/THMS.2017.2706727

A smart wheelchair (SW) is a power wheelchair (PW) to which computers, sensors, and assistive technology are attached. In the past decade, there has been little effort to provide a systematic review of SW research. This paper aims to provide a complete state-of-the-art overview of SW research trends. We expect that the information gathered in this study will enhance awareness of the status of contemporary PW as well as SW technology and increase the functional mobility of people who use PWs. We systematically present the international SW research effort, starting with an introduction to PWs and the communities they serve. Then, we discuss in detail the SW and associated technological innovations with an emphasis on the most researched areas, generating the most interest for future research and development. We conclude with our vision for the future of SW research and how to best serve people with all types of disabilities.