Power wheelchair driver behaviour modelling

Abstract

Assisting persons in their vehicle driving task is essential for drivers comfort and security. Vehicle Driver behaviour modelling is of main interest in order to provide assistive control. Many research teams have addressed this question. This is even more important in the case of handicapped persons. However, work in this domain is very scarce. The diversity of handicap situations renders the assistive vehicle control essential and needs more accurate modelling. In spite of their difficulties wheelchair control is not adapted to the individual need of handicapped persons. In this paper a model is proposed to account for wheelchairs driver behaviour. This model is then tested on a wheelchair dynamic model. This model is intended to help analysing the driver's capacity as well as for the development of personalised wheelchair controllers that take into account the driver's handicap situation.