Real-Time Remote-Controlled Wheelchair with Wi-Fi Integration and Obstacle Detection for the Disabled and Elderly People

The most difficult aspect for physically challenged and elderly people is that they must rely on caretakers for movement. Patients who are unable to control the wheelchairs with their arms due to a lack of strength request electric wheelchairs, which are commonly controlled with joysticks. In the proposed work, we have developed a Wi-Fi controlled real-time wheelchair system that is supplemented by a mobile application. The system incorporates sensors designed to detect obstacles in the wheelchair's path, enhancing user safety by preventing collisions. Through the use of a camera, the application allows caregivers to remotely control and monitor the wheelchair, granting them the capability to assist users in navigating their surroundings more effectively. The Wi-Fi module receives signals transmitted from an Android smartphone, and once received, the attached microcontroller extracts and executes the command. The motor driver circuit, in turn, receives control signals from the microcontroller and adjusts the motor currents accordingly, thereby controlling the movement of the wheelchair. Allowing caregivers to use remote applications for control empowers them to assist the patient with ease, in situations where the patient might have difficulty using traditional controls.