Dynamic Navigation Aspects of an Automated Medical Wheelchair

This paper deals with several aspects of a medical wheelchair. There is a mechanical three-wheels type structure that contains a single simultaneous drive and steering wheel and two passive wheels mounted on the same rear axle. The direct kinematic model and the inverse kinematic model are first developed. Then, dynamic aspects of the medical wheelchair navigation on a required trajectory are presented and analyzed. This is constituted by the succession of different types of sections, linear or curvilinear. It is intended to develop driving laws that do not introduce sudden step variations to changing sections. In this respect, the paper presents two driving solutions on complex trajectories: driving strategy through direction and speed driving strategy, respectively. For each, aspects that are more particular are considered.