SpheriCol: A Driving Assistance System for Power Wheelchairs Based on Spherical Vision and Range Measurements

Abstract

This paper presents “SpheriCol”, a new driving assistance system for power wheelchair users. The ROS-based aid system combines spherical images from a twin-fisheye camera and range measurements from on-board exteroceptive sensors, to synthesize different augmented views of the surrounding environment. Experiments with a Quickie Salsa wheelchair show that SpheriCol improves situational awareness and supports user’s decision in challenging maneuvers, such as passing through a door or corridor centering.