Trajectory Tracking Control of an Autonomous Electric Wheelchair Using Particle Swarm Optimization Based PID Controller

Electric wheelchairs play a crucial role in improving the mobility and independence of individuals with limited physical capabilities. However, ensuring accurate control and smooth maneuverability in diverse environments remains a challenge. In this paper, we present effective control architecture for an electric wheelchair, which uses a PID controller optimized by the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) metaheuristic algorithm for trajectory tracking. We developed a kinematic model adapted to the electric wheelchair, and simulated various trajectories to evaluate the tracking control. The proposed architecture employs two PID controllers, where one of the PID controllers is dedicated to controlling the linear translation of the wheelchair, while the other is responsible for adjusting the rotation of the wheelchair to achieve the desired positions along the trajectory. The simulation results show that the proposed architecture achieves accurate and efficient trajectory tracking, highlighting the effectiveness of the PSO-optimized PID controller for this application.