Gesture Controlled Wheelchair
Gesture controlled wheelchair can be operated with hand gestures, a joystick and a Bluetooth application. Sensors have also been provided to accommodate any obstacles that might come in the way while using the chair. the user will be made self-dependent as the wheelchair does not re
2025-06-28 16:32:45 - Adil Khan
Gesture Controlled Wheelchair
Project Area of Specialization Wearables and ImplantableProject SummaryGesture controlled wheelchair can be operated with hand gestures, a joystick and a Bluetooth application. Sensors have also been provided to accommodate any obstacles that might come in the way while using the chair. the user will be made self-dependent as the wheelchair does not require any external assistance from any other person for its use or motion. The chair is made from scratch which means that the frame of the wheelchair and the chair itself are made as light weight as possible So that the reduced weight increases the weight limit of the person using it. A person of 80 kilograms can be easily seated on this chair with normal operation provided. The addition of joystick will create a familiar environment for the user. the gesture feature can be implemented for head tilt or foot placement as well. A sensor chip is mainly responsible for the motion of chair so it is up to us whether we want to mount it on hand, head or foot of user. The basic purpose of building the chair from scratch was to reduce the weight and the overall cost of the chair as well. A simple electronic chair with joystick operation costs around two hundred and fifty thousand rupees. It is priced at this amount because most of the wheelchairs are imported from abroad which automatically increases its price. A wheelchair with this price range is not affordable for common man due to which majority of the physically impaired people in our country use a normal wheelchair which requires human effort. So the user has to make an effort to move it in any required directions. The wheelchairs here also do not have any included accident/obstacle avoidance or detection systems for the purpose of protecting users from any harm. Our chair includes sensors that will not only detect any obstacles, but will also stop when it senses if anything is in the way. It will not proceed further in that direction unless it receives any command from the user that demands it to move backwards via hand gesture, Bluetooth or joystick.
Project ObjectivesThe main objectives of this project are to make electronic wheelchairs affordable for people belonging to all sorts of financial status/background. The number of disabled people in our country is almost 2.30 percent of the population which makes it almost 30 million people. Out of these 30 million people, 4.8 percent of the people are physically disabled which makes it almost fourteen million people that have physical disabilities. This goes out to show that at least an electronic wheelchair might be of a greater need. The majority of the population in our country is, of course, comprised of common man. The wheelchairs available now are not cheap and affordable for majority of the population. Our first objective is to make it as cheap as possible so that a common man can also think about buying one for any physically impaired he knows. Our second objective is to provide as many features as possible for the lowest of price. Cost cutting is one of our main concerns but to provide a safety mechanism is also one of our top priorities. In any wheelchairs that we have mainly seen, a common phenomenon that can be observed is that there is no provision of safety. Our Objective is to make the wheelchair as safe as possible for the user so that they do not have to worry about getting stuck in any harmful situations. Another objective is to provide the user with a communication system so that whenever they need to interact with anyone, they can simply push a button and get assistance regarding their situation. As the wheelchair makes the user independent, it does not mean that the user will not need any external help. Whenever the user needs medical attention, they can send out a message to the person responsible for their care and can get immediate help. The system will also send out a message to the care taker if the chair tips over in any case of emergency.
Project Implementation MethodThe first step in the implementation of this project was the designing of a basic frame that is light in weight but still strong enough to hold the weight of a person with 80 kilograms of weight. the main purpose of building the frame ourselves was the reduction of weight of the Wheelchair on its own. The frame was also tested at every step for its durability and stability. The microprocessor used for this purpose is Arduino and all the hardware that is needed to be used was interfaced together and then programmed to perform the desired functions. Later on, the selection of motor size, the battery of suitable range was also performed very carefully while keeping the weight the Wheelchair needs to carry. When the frame and all basic hardware was built, all the programmed hardware was placed in the chair and was tested several times for any discrepancies in the system. Later the project was polishes further to reduce the amount of exposed circuitry so that it is not visible right away for a better and a pleasant outlook overall.
Benefits of the ProjectThis project has multiple benefits. It is not only cheap and affordable for common man (people of all financial categories), but is also very simple and easy to use. This project will not need any external assistance which will make the user independent which will induce confidence in them and will also boost their Morales on a personal level. This project can also become an alternative to the Wheelchairs that are being imported from abroad. The use of electric Wheelchairs will also be increased due to its low pricing. This will cater to common man and they will be able to appreciate the benefits of an electronic Wheelchair. this project can also replace the regular Wheelchairs that are being used in hospitals so that the staff their does not have to assist the person using the wheelchair. The hospitals now do not have any automatic wheelchairs because a hospitals require a large number and it might disturb their budget. Its low cost can help change that trend and hospitals can buy these Wheelchairs as a replacement to the regular ones. Overall, this project can be of great help for people with physical disabilities.
Technical Details of Final DeliverableThe motion of this chair is controlled by a gyroscope accelerometer chip that updates its angles according to the angles in which it is tilted. The chip provides an angle in the X and Y axis and the motion of the chair is controlled by performing certain actions across the values of these axis. The forward, backward, left and right directions are controlled across angles provided by the chip itself. For the control of direction, relays have been used for this purpose. Two relays have been connected to two motors rating 12 Volts. These DC motors are connected physically with the wheels of the chair so their motion is perfectly in synchronization with the motors speed. Same goes for joystick and Bluetooth. The Bluetooth application has a simple layout and it is very easy to use. The application has limited options that adds to its simplicity and can be used and understood by people of all age groups. For communication, GSM is provided and will provide only one-way communication. It will send out a message when the user need any medical help. The GSM is actually also controlled by Gyroscope sensor and if the chair tips off, the chip will detect it and the GSM module will send out the message to the care taker.
Final Deliverable of the Project Hardware SystemType of Industry Manufacturing , Health Technologies Internet of Things (IoT), Wearables and ImplantablesSustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for PeopleRequired Resources| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 62190 | |||
| DC Motors | Equipment | 3 | 6500 | 19500 |
| GSM Module | Equipment | 1 | 3500 | 3500 |
| Arduino Mega | Equipment | 2 | 1020 | 2040 |
| Arduino Uno | Equipment | 2 | 600 | 1200 |
| Battery (Daewoo) | Equipment | 1 | 4300 | 4300 |
| Accelerometer chip | Equipment | 3 | 280 | 840 |
| LCD's (20x4) | Equipment | 2 | 510 | 1020 |
| Iron Pipes 2/1 (20 m) | Equipment | 1 | 3500 | 3500 |
| Small Front Wheels | Equipment | 1 | 500 | 500 |
| Nut + Bolts | Equipment | 1 | 200 | 200 |
| Welder Labor | Equipment | 1 | 1500 | 1500 |
| Coupling Motors | Equipment | 1 | 1500 | 1500 |
| Labor (Coupling Motors) | Equipment | 1 | 2000 | 2000 |
| Back Rims (New) | Equipment | 2 | 400 | 800 |
| Back Rims (Old) | Equipment | 2 | 250 | 500 |
| Chair | Equipment | 1 | 1450 | 1450 |
| Flex And Stand | Miscellaneous | 1 | 800 | 800 |
| DC to DC Buck Converter | Equipment | 3 | 80 | 240 |
| Converters (Boost) | Equipment | 3 | 450 | 1350 |
| Relays | Equipment | 10 | 80 | 800 |
| Joystick | Equipment | 2 | 150 | 300 |
| Moose And Nut Bolts | Equipment | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| Adapter 9V | Equipment | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| LED's + Resistances | Equipment | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Ultrasonic sensors | Equipment | 4 | 130 | 520 |
| Jumper Wires | Equipment | 6 | 120 | 720 |
| Foam tyres | Equipment | 2 | 320 | 640 |
| Bread + Vero Boards | Equipment | 5 | 230 | 1150 |
| Report Printing And Binding | Miscellaneous | 1 | 300 | 300 |
| Infrared Sensor | Equipment | 4 | 80 | 320 |
| Bluetooth module | Equipment | 1 | 380 | 380 |
| Motor Alterations | Equipment | 1 | 600 | 600 |
| Battery Clamps and Locks | Equipment | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| Soldering pins With components | Equipment | 1 | 70 | 70 |
| Clips + ties | Equipment | 1 | 100 | 100 |
| Lasani Ply Woodboard | Equipment | 1 | 300 | 300 |
| Petrol | Miscellaneous | 1 | 8700 | 8700 |
| Spray Paint | Miscellaneous | 1 | 150 | 150 |