10/19/2012
Stair-climbing wheelchair
A new robotic wheelchair will go where no wheelchair has gone before--climbing over curbs and tackling stairs.
The wheelchair will feature four independently powered wheels mounted on five axes. Sensors next to the wheels will scan obstacles to determine if they can be rolled over, signaling the wheels to change to legs if necessary. An on-board computer will help keep the chair steady and the legs properly aligned, allowing the legs to step on or over the obstacle. The legs will be able to act automatically, with the passenger only needing to control the direction of the motion with joystick.
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