eprintid: 6412
rev_number: 4
userid: 6
dir: disk0/00/00/64/12
datestamp: 2011-11-10 19:31:51
lastmod: 2016-11-15 13:36:44
status_changed: 2011-11-10 19:31:51
type: thesis_degree
metadata_visibility: show
contact_email: brownkw1@yahoo.com
item_issues_count: 0
eprint_status: archive
creators_name: Brown, Karl Walter
creators_email: brownkw1@yahoo.com
title: Electric Powered Wheelchair Control with a Variable Compliance Joystick: Improving Control of Mobility Devices for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
ispublished: unpub
divisions: sch_hrs_healthandrehabsciences
full_text_status: public
keywords: control enhancer; control interface; fatigue; human-machine interface; isometric joystick; position sensing joystick; simulation; tremor; validation; virtual reality; weighted Fourier linear combiner; WFLC
abstract: While technological developments over the past several decades have greatly enhanced the lives of people with mobility impairments, between 10 and 40 percent of clients who desired powered mobility found it very difficult to operate electric powered wheelchairs (EPWs) safely because of sensory impairments, poor motor function, or cognitive deficits [1]. The aim of this research is to improve control of personalized mobility for those with multiple sclerosis (MS) by examining isometric and movement joystick interfaces with customizable algorithms. A variable compliance joystick (VCJ) with tuning software was designed and built to provide a single platform for isometric and movement, or compliant, interfaces with enhanced programming capabilities.The VCJ with three different algorithms (basic, personalized, personalized with fatigue adaptation) was evaluated with four subjects with MS (mean age 58.7±5.0 yrs; years since diagnosis 28.2±16.1 yrs) in a virtual environment. A randomized, two-group, repeated-measures experimental design was used, where two subjects used the VCJ in isometric mode and two in compliant mode.While still too early to draw conclusions about the performance of the joystick interfaces and algorithms, the VCJ was a functional platform for collecting information. Inspection of the data shows that the learning curve may be long for this system. Also, while subjects may have low trial times, low times could be related to more deviation from the target path.
date: 2007-04-24
date_type: completed
institution: University of Pittsburgh
refereed: TRUE
etdcommittee_type: committee_chair
etdcommittee_type: committee_member
etdcommittee_type: committee_member
etdcommittee_name: Spaeth, Donald M.
etdcommittee_name: Ding, Dan
etdcommittee_name: Cooper, Rory A.
etdcommittee_email: spaethd@herlpitt.org
etdcommittee_email: dad5@pitt.edu
etdcommittee_email: rcooper@pitt.edu
etdcommittee_id: 
etdcommittee_id: DAD5
etdcommittee_id: RCOOPER
etd_defense_date: 2006-12-19
etd_approval_date: 2007-04-24
etd_submission_date: 2007-02-27
etd_access_restriction: immediate
etd_patent_pending: FALSE
assigned_doi: doi:10.5195/pitt.etd.2011.6412
thesis_type: thesis
degree: MS
committee: Donald M. Spaeth, PhD (spaethd@herlpitt.org) - Committee Chair
committee: Dan Ding, PhD (dad5@pitt.edu) - Committee Member
committee: Rory A. Cooper, PhD (rcooper@pitt.edu) - Committee Member
etdurn: etd-02272007-111302
other_id: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-02272007-111302/
other_id: etd-02272007-111302
citation:   Brown, Karl Walter  (2007) Electric Powered Wheelchair Control with a Variable Compliance Joystick: Improving Control of Mobility Devices for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis.  Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.    (Unpublished)  
document_url: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/6412/1/brownk_etd2007.pdf