robotic wheelchair capable of climbing over steps

stepping robotic wheelchair capable of climbing stairs

developed at the chiba institute of technology, a group of engineers have created a robotic wheelchair capable of climbing over steps. using its four-wheel drive and five axes, the mobility device controls variety of movements, where using a combination of sensors, it detects obstacles and clears them by using its wheels as legs. the system automatically determines the surrounding environment and moves appropriately through space. when moving on uneven ground, the robot controls the seat to make sure it remains level, stabilizing the user. additionally, the wheelchair can line its wheels up in a parallel line, extending stabilizers to the left and right, enabling it to turn a circle. this makes it easy to reverse, even in narrow spaces.

sensors automatically detect un-plain surfaces for ‘stepping’

stepping over obstacles

wheelchair demonstration video courtesy of diginfo via