Swheels: the Smart Wheelchair
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: SWheels is a smart, voice-controlled wheelchair prototype designed to enhance mobility and independence for individuals with partial or complete paralysis. This project aims to bridge accessibility gaps by integrating advanced features such as voice command operation, joystick control, automatic speed adjustment on inclines, obstacle detection, fall detection, and real-time dash cam streaming. The system is powered by a Raspberry Pi 5 and dual ESP32 microcontrollers, enabling distributed processing for efficient control and safety management. Voice navigation interprets natural language instructions like “move forward for 10 meters” through a language model API, translating them into structured commands for motor control. The obstacle avoidance mechanism, implemented using six ultrasonic sensors (HC-SR04), ensures safe navigation in indoor environments such as hospitals and schools. Real-time video streaming is achieved via MJPG-Streamer, allowing live monitoring over a local network. SWheels follows a phased development approach, beginning with basic assistive mobility features, followed by autonomous navigation and path-learning capabilities. The successful implementation of this prototype demonstrates the viability of combining low-cost hardware with smart control logic to deliver a scalable, user-friendly mobility solution. The system’s modular design also supports future enhancements, such as gesture recognition and health monitoring, making it a promising candidate for further development in assistive technology.
Authors: Johnson, Joshua, Binraj, Nandkishore, Manoj, Nikhil, S Pai, Sourav, K Natraj, Neetha
Language: English
Subfield: Occupational Therapy
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6912137258