Intelligent control of a robotic aid system for the physically disabled

An overview is given of research on a robotic aid system for the physically disabled. One of the goals of the system is to assist the user in feeding. In order to provide safe and easy-to-use services to the user in an environment where the robot arm operates near the user's face, reactive and predictive control is essential. Several research issues involved in building such an intelligent controller are presented, and the approach used to implement a mechanism for avoiding collision of the robot arm with the user's face is described.<
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