Force feedback joystick control of a powered wheelchair: preliminary study

An evaluation of a force feedback joystick for a powered wheelchair is performed. Our aim is to determine if the force feedback joystick enhances the driving performance of persons with severe disabilities. A Microsoft® Sidewinder™ force feedback joystick 2 is used with a computer simulation system for the evaluation phase of the study. The factor used to determine the feedback force of the joystick is the displacement vectors of sixteen sensors to the nearest obstacles. The preliminary results on persons without disability show that there is fewer collisions when the force feedback algorithm is activated compared to their performance when the algorithm is not activated. All test subjects agreed that when the force feedback algorithm is activated, the wheelchair guidance is easier in corridor displacement. Moreover, some subjects found it easier for door crossing.