SLAM-Based Autonomous Indoor Navigation System For Electric Wheelchairs
I. Tharindu Lakmal, K. L. A. Nuwan Perera, H. A. Harindu Y. Sarathchandra, Chinthaka Premachandra
Abstract
Commercial electric wheelchairs have become cheaper due to the development of related technologies and equipment in recent years. Most of them need the user to control directions using joysticks or handles in order to navigate in indoor environments. This paper presents the development of an indoor autonomous navigation system for electric wheelchairs. The developed system uses 2d lidar to scan obstacles, walls around it and then create a map of its surrounding and localize itself in the map while moving autonomously in indoor environments without inputs from a user. The system is integrated using hardware which is safe for humans and uses open-source software which permits easy and safe integration with an existing electric wheelchair.