Autonomous robotic wheelchair with collision-avoidance navigation and real-time path planning

This paper presents a wheelchair-size autonomous robot, the robotic wheelchair, moving in a real-life unknown environment with real-time path planning. To optimize its motion trajectory, it is necessary for it to be able to turn around the axle middle point. With this kinematics, a real-time path-planning algorithm was implemented by detecting the range to obstacles and tracking specific light sources used as beacons. During the testing, the seat was first removed but can be installed back. The experimental results verified that the robotic wheelchair could move successfully in an unknown environment with collision-avoidance navigation.