JP2007271701A - Obstacle recognition device for wheelchair for visually impaired person - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade a risk caused by the fact that a visually impaired person on a wheelchair can not recognize where an obstacle is. <P>SOLUTION: In the obstacle recognition device, five fingers of a user are made to correspond to five directions of the wheelchair, and a sensor corresponding to each direction measures the distance from an object, and the distance from the obstacle can be recognized according to the magnitude of vibration of a vibrator. By communicating the vibration to the corresponding finger, the user can recognize in which direction and how far the obstacle exists and can have multidimensional space perception. Thus, the safeness and advanced operation of the wheelchair are attained and secured. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention makes it possible to recognize risks such as contact with obstacles and people assumed when a visually impaired person drives an existing wheelchair, and enhances driving of the wheelchair based on multidimensional spatial recognition It is a thing.

  In the conventional invention, there is a method of recognizing the distance from an obstacle with a sensor and transmitting it by the intensity and type of sound and vibration.

There is a technology that recognizes the distance to an obstacle with a car, converts it into sound and vibration, and transmits it to the driver.
This technology assists the visual grasp of the rear when the vehicle is backed.
JP2005-35488

There is technology that can drive a wheelchair with a lever.
This technique allows both arms to be used when moving a wheelchair, so that the arms can be released and used for purposes other than movement.
JP-A-7-265361

There is a technology that attaches a sensor to the cane of a visually impaired person and transmits the distance to the obstacle by vibration.
This technology makes it possible to recognize obstacles that exist concentrically in the forward direction by swinging the sensor, and to grasp obstacles at a distance greater than the length of the cane.
Patent Open 2003-93454

  In a conventional wheelchair, when a person with visual impairments drives, there is no recognition device for where people, objects, walls, obstacles, stairs, etc. exist, and there is danger when driving alone Required great assistance.

  In addition, even if obstacles existing on a straight line can be recognized by sensors using existing inventions and technologies, obstacles that exist in various directions and distances in real time and obstacles associated with wheelchair driving Because the information necessary for driving cannot be recognized at the same time because the change in the correlation between the position and the object can not be recognized at the same time, the area that relies on the space recognition based on the imagination of the visually impaired person becomes large, and the surrounding situation There is also insufficient information for recognizing position confirmation from grasp.

  In order to recognize the spatial correlation from the recognition of the linear distance, the information obtained from multiple sensors corresponding to each body position, such as the five directions of the wheelchair and five fingers, is analyzed. By simultaneously transmitting to the parts corresponding to each direction by converting to vibration intensity and vibration variations of the vibrator, it is possible to simultaneously grasp multiple obstacles and their movement in real time. It is possible to drive based on advanced recognition of changes.

  Simply using multiple sensors enables spatial recognition with a different dimension, and allows you to grasp the positional relationship with multiple obstacles in parallel, accompanying both the movement of obstacles and their own rotation and movement. By grasping the correlation, it is possible to move with a higher level of recognition, thereby improving driving safety.

  A wide range of sensations are mobilized comprehensively by being conscious of stimuli to the five fingers, and brain functions are utilized in multiple ways by activating recognition of the surrounding space of the self, and effects on brain rehabilitation are expected. The effect of physical rehabilitation is expected due to the spread of effects from the medical cooperation between the fingertip and the body to the brain to the whole body.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in Fig. 1, information on the distance to the obstacle is collected from the sensors A 'to E' corresponding to the five directions A to E in front of the wheelchair, and the information on the distance to the obstacle obtained from the sensor is analyzed by the CPU. The vibration is transmitted to the five fingers with vibrators A # to E #.

  The angle a of A to E corresponds to the angle from the thumb to the little finger, so some people may open more than a right angle, but if it opens naturally and is about 80 degrees, it will be recognized by dividing each into about 16 degrees. However, it is also possible to arbitrarily increase or decrease each angle.

  It can be grasped by transmitting the strength of vibration in three stages by changing the length of X1, X3, X3 to X3 for each meter, but the number of distance categories and distance, and the level of corresponding vibration strength can be changed arbitrarily. You may let them.

  As in X1 to X3, the vibration intensity may be continuously changed according to the distance recognized by the sensor without dividing the vibration according to the distance classification.

As an application example, it is possible to provide a sensor F for obstacle recognition in the rear in addition to the front recognition with five fingers, and transmit it to the wrist part with the strength of vibration of the vibrator.
In this case, the rear recognition angle f and distance sections Y1 to Y3 are limited to those of the front recognition, and may be about 10 degrees or 50 centimeters. It is good to change to.

  As in Y1 to Y3, changes in vibration intensity may be continued according to the distance recognized by the sensor without dividing the vibration according to the distance classification.

  Vibrators may be installed on the sitting or soles other than the five fingers.

Fig. 4 shows the information obtained from the sensor G that recognizes the obstacle at the foot, analyzed by the CPU, and the types of vibrations of the obstacle U on the horizontal plane and the fault D below the horizontal plane can be distinguished and discriminated. It is a figure aiming at avoiding the risk of transmission to the vibrator G installed on the sole of the foot, contact with the child, and falling and falling.
The distance sections H to J and the angles h to j may be three steps and about 40 degrees, but the section, angle, and vibration variations can be arbitrarily changed.

  As in H to J, changes in vibration intensity may be made continuous according to the distance recognized by the sensor without dividing vibration according to the distance classification.

  Because the risk of falling is very large for the driver, when the distance from the obstacle with the sensor falls below a certain value such as 15 centimeters or less, a stopper that automatically stops is provided to give vibration to convey the danger to the sole. The stopper may be removed by changing the direction and avoiding danger.

  How much and in what direction the vibrations corresponding to the distances recognized by sensors A 'to E' (F ') are transmitted to vibrators A # to E # (F #) installed on the pedestal on which the palm of FIG. It becomes possible to recognize whether there is an obstacle in the distance.

  If you want to subdivide the direction more than the five directions, it is not enough with five fingers, so you can subdivide the recognition by increasing the number of vibrators by dividing the plane part such as palm according to the number of sensors according to the corresponding direction. It becomes possible.

  When a person crosses the front from left to right as shown in FIG. 4, when the distance is divided into three sections, the vibration moves from the little finger side according to the moving speed from weak → medium → strong → medium → weak. It becomes possible.

  As shown in Fig. 5, when moving forward and backward in parallel with approaching the left wall, it is recognized in parallel in the strong, medium, 0, 0, 0 state from the little finger side when expressed in three sections. Therefore, it is possible to recognize the increase / decrease of the distance from the wall and the presence / absence of a corner by the change of vibration.

  When the wheelchair is rotated counterclockwise on the spot as shown in Fig. 6, the obstacles adjacent to the left side are transmitted from the little finger side in the order of strong → strong → strong → strong → strong. It becomes easy to grasp the correlation related to movement.

  If there are multiple obstacles with reference to the above recognition example, it is possible to grasp the distance / positional relationship with the obstacles simultaneously with five fingers, and either the static state or the vibration change due to wheelchair movement / direction change. It becomes easy to discriminate the number and type of objects, and enables advanced spatial recognition.

  It is possible to produce and sell obstacle recognition / communication devices for both wheelchairs that can be attached to a wheelchair and devices.

Diagram of sensor recognition area for space recognition corresponding to various directions of wheelchair Diagram of flow to transmit information obtained from sensor to vibrator Illustration of sensor for recognition of obstacles at the foot of a wheelchair Illustration of a person crossing the front of a wheelchair Figure of wheelchair moving back and forth adjacent to the left wall Figure showing an obstacle on the left front of the wheelchair and rotating counterclockwise

Explanation of symbols

A ~ E (F) Each direction from wheelchair
A '~ E' (F ') Sensors corresponding to A ~ E (F)
A # ~ E # (F #) Vibrators compatible with A ~ E (F)
X1-X3 (Y1-Y3) Distance from wheelchair
a ・ f Angle recognized by each sensor
U Obstacles on a horizontal plane
D Risk of obstacles such as steps below the horizontal plane
x to z Sensor installation angle from the wheelchair foot
G 'Sensor for recognizing a foot disorder
G # Vibrator that conveys distance to obstacles
H ~ J Distance classification of foot from wheelchair
h to j Foot angle recognized by each sensor

Claims (2)

  Concerning contact with obstacles that can be assumed when driving a blind person's wheelchair, information obtained from sensors that correspond to each direction and various body parts is converted into vibration intensity of the vibrator and transmitted, A transmission device that can greatly reduce the risk by associating the five directions of the wheelchair with the five fingers so as to know in which direction and how far there is an obstacle.   Analyzes information obtained from sensors that recognize obstacles at the foot, regarding contact with obstacles that can be assumed when driving a blind person's wheelchair, and the type and strength of the vibrator installed on the sole of the foot A transmission device that avoids the risk of falling or falling by knowing the presence / absence / distance.

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