Design and Development of Smart Mobility System with Multiple Controller Interfaces

Classical assistive devices, while useful, often fail to meet the dynamic needs of patients suffering from different kinds of disabilities, especially in terms of control, safety and adaptability. Recent technological innovations in assistive technology have opened new avenues for developing sophisticated, user-friendly mobility devices. Autonomous assistive devices integrated with modern controller interfaces and safety procedures represent a significant development in this research domain. This research presents the design and implementation of a differential-drive smart wheelchair replica, equipped with multiple controller interfaces (touch and voice) and an advanced SMS security mechanism to enable flexible user control and ensure safety in emergencies. The research is divided into two main aspects: Simulation and hardware development. In the simulation phase, path tracking and velocity control of the device are done using different control strategies like Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID), Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) and a hybrid FLC-PID controller in MATLAB. The hardware replica is developed using different components, ensuring efficient and user-friendly operation. Differential-drive two-wheel mechanisms, which allow independent control of the two wheels, are employed to achieve free, smooth, and efficient path planning. The research work compares the performance of different control strategies to achieve the optimal velocity control. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of each control strategy in maintaining the desired velocity limit and stability under varying operational conditions. The FLC-PID control strategy exhibits superior performance, with reduced overshoot, minimum steady-state error, faster response, and shorter delay time than other techniques, making it a promising solution for smart wheelchair systems.