SMART WHEELCHAIRS/MOBILITY DEVICES

Researchers at MIT have developed a mobility system that can navigate to a memorized location autonomously. The system goes around the areas once and is told the important points – “This is the cafeteria”, “this is my room” – and then using a simple voice command, the chair will navigate its way to the location.

The MIT researchers are using a GPS system outside, but inside are using a series of Wi-Fi nodes for mapping and navigation.

A trial has begun at a local nursing home in Boston

Original article is here: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/wheelchair-0919.html