Posture-Operated Mobility Aid

Posture-Operated Mobility Aid

Individuals with severe upper limb paralysis retain neck and head mobility that can serve as a control channel. This motorized wheelchair interprets intentional head tilts—detected via a wearable inertial measurement unit or camera-based head tracking—as directional commands. A neutral head position commands stop; forward, backward, left, and right tilts map to corresponding motion vectors. The control system incorporates dead zones to filter involuntary micro-movements and exponential smoothing to prevent jerky starts. Safety features include ultrasonic collision avoidance that overrides user commands when obstacles are detected within a stopping distance, and an emergency halt activated by a caregiver-held wireless pendant.

Components

Arduino Mega
MPU6050 IMU
Motor Driver L298N
DC Motors + Wheels
Ultrasonic Sensors
Wireless RF Remote