TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED MOBILITY ORTHOSIS FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE

Abstract

Wheelchair is a mobility orthosis, used for the person who is unable to walk. This paper focuses on developing the wheelchair for people with disability in moving their lower limbs and elderly people who are in need of at most health care. The objective is also to provide easy ambulation for elders with enhanced features in the wheelchair. The new features included are monitoring the health status using Temperature and Pulse sensor, medicine intake of the person in the wheelchair. Flex sensors, IR sensor and Ultrasonic sensor are included to provide movement control and obstacle detection in the travelling path. To provide easy navigation during night time, fluorescent wheels are provided. The wheelchair can also be modified as a stretcher to enable access during emergency. The sensors input are processed by ATMEGA328 controller and the health status of the elderly person is send to the care taker in his/her absence. Thus the Technology Enhanced Mobility Orthosis prototype model is also developed specially for the elderly people to lead a safe and comfortable life.