title: Stability analysis of electrical powered wheelchair-mounted robotic-assisted transfer device.
abstract: The ability of people with disabilities to live in their homes and communities with maximal independence often hinges, at least in part, on their ability to transfer or be transferred by an assistant. Because of limited resources and the expense of personal care, robotic transfer assistance devices will likely be in great demand. An easy-to-use system for assisting with transfers, attachable to electrical powered wheelchairs (EPWs) and readily transportable, could have a significant positive effect on the quality of life of people with disabilities. We investigated the stability of our newly developed Strong Arm, which is attached and integrated with an EPW to assist with transfers. The stability of the system was analyzed and verified by experiments applying different loads and using different system configurations. The model predicted the distributions of the system's center of mass very well compared with the experimental results. When real transfers were conducted with 50 and 75 kg loads and an 83.25 kg dummy, the current Strong Arm could transfer all weights safely without tip-over. Our modeling accurately predicts the stability of the system and is suitable for developing better control algorithms to enhance the safety of the device.
authors.affiliation: Human Engineering Research Laboratories, Department of Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA; and Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA;
authors.forename: Hongwu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chung-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Hervens
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeannis
authors.forename: Cheng-Shiu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Annmarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kelleher
authors.forename: Garrett G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Grindle
authors.forename: Rory A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D008348:Manikins; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055805:Moving and Lifting Patients / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012371:Robotics; D014910:Wheelchairs
keywords: Strong Arm; center of mass; center of mass distribution; electrical powered wheelchair; model; robotic transfer device; safety; stability; tip-over stability; transfer