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Snappy Wheelchair: An IoT-Based Flex Controlled Robotic Wheel Chair for

Disabled People

Chapter · July 2021

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-16-0882-7_71

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Snappy Wheelchair: An IoT-Based Flex
Controlled Robotic Wheel Chair
for Disabled People

Tajim Md. Niamat Ullah Akhund, Gunjon Roy, Animesh Adhikary,

Md. Ashraful Alam, Nishat Tasnim Newaz, Masud Rana Rashel,
and Mohammad Abu Yousuf

Abstract According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 2011, almost 8 lac

people are physically challenged. Among them, about 1.5 lac are from urban areas and
the rest of the people from rural areas. Lots of challenged people need a wheelchair
to move. This work results in a Snappy Wheelchair which will help physically chal-
lenged persons. It has two different controlling systems: first one joystick control
system and second one flex sensor control system. Challenged person who can move
only two fingers of their whole body also can control the Snappy Wheelchair with
flex sensor control system. If anyone can move hand or single leg, they can control
Snappy Wheelchair with joystick control system. If anyone wants twice controlling
system at a time, he/she also can do it by pressing controlling switch to change one
controlling system to another. Snappy Wheelchair can move forward, forward-left,
forward-right, backward, backward-left, and backward-right. Snappy Wheelchair
saves 50% among all of those automated and manual control wheelchairs which are
available in the market. This is designed for those people with middle-class families
who also can buy and it comes with helpful features. This work is already running
in real-time environment.

Keywords IoT · Robotics · Disabled patient management · Automated wheelchair

1 Introduction

This wheelchair is designed for physically challenged person. It will save 50% than
the current smart wheelchair available in the market. It can be controlled by the user

T. Md. N. U. Akhund (B) · G. Roy · A. Adhikary · Md. Ashraful Alam · M. Rana Rashel
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Daffodil International University, Dhaka,
Bangladesh
T. Md. N. U. Akhund · N. T. Newaz · M. Abu Yousuf
Institute of Information Technology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
M. Rana Rashel
University of Evora, Evora, Portugal

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021 803
M. S. Kaiser et al. (eds.), Information and Communication Technology
for Competitive Strategies (ICTCS 2020), Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems 190,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0882-7_71
804 T. Md. N. U. Akhund et al.

themselves with joystick or flex sensors which are integrated with the wheelchair.
New technology brings the easiest method for human beings to reduce our cost and
life complexity. Many challenged people are in trouble to move. For not to buy a
smart fancy wheelchair. Because it cost too much high price to effort. And also, it
is not available in our local market. Snappy Wheelchair will take poor peoples to
get introduced to new technology because it is budget-friendly. It provides all the
necessary features of a smart wheelchair. It can move forward and backward by both
controllers. The intention of our research work to make a less costly smart wheelchair.
So, the poor people of our country can buy it. To build this research work cost a bit
than a manual wheelchair, but it has a more positive site than that. So, our plan is
to spread this to all over the country with Indigent people so they can buy it easily.
This research work actually made for the people who aren’t able to buy those fancy
wheelchairs. So, we can call it a budget-friendly smart wheelchair.
The objective will be obtained by this work is as follows:
1. Helping physically challenged people with low-cost robotic wheelchair.
2. Controlling the wheelchair for 360° movements with two fingers by flex sensor
and Joystick.

2 Background Study

In the local market, there is plenty of wheelchairs. But those are a high budget
wheelchair and also imported from another country which are costly. A system
was developed by authors of [1] to reduce the controlling system to operate the
wheelchair adding some features or systems to operate the chair for people wide-
ranging impairments that limit their access to powered mobility. The system is an
ultrasonic sensor, the module to make a connection between the joystick and power
module of a wheelchair. It is the result of mobile robotics research [1]. Detection and
tracking of eye gait and the head motion were an active area of research. They serve
a wide range of serious disabilities bypassing with minimal motor capacity. Various
technologies have been proposed and used to implement different algorithms for
both eye tracking and head motion detection. The amount of research is still trying
to find more sophisticated more efficient applications [2]. In this paper the electric
wheelchair control with gaze direction and eye blinking. The camera captures the
image sequential capture image is interpreted to obtain the gaze direction and eye
blinking properties. The eye blinking is used to provide the direction and timing
command related to when the wheelchair should move. For safety purposes, when
the user does not focus on direction, the wheelchair will stop moving [3]. The research
work-based on eye controlling system is more useful for the disabled persons is very
cost-efficient and the Raspberry Pi board allowed to access the system without the
display unit [4]. Wheelchairs control voice-based research work-based. It will work
after speech recognition. The user will give commands and identify the wheelchair
voice then the program will execute. Wheelchairs do not work on the basis of false
speech recognition. There is a problem that the wheelchair collides with the wall
Snappy Wheelchair: An IoT-Based Flex Controlled Robotic … 805

and the voice command is interrupted by a delay. Then, our system implements
CAF to prevent collision avoidance, whereby wheelchairs use two types of sensor
information to avoid a wall or obstacle without voice commands. The CAF helps
the user to control the wheelchair without any collision on the wall or barrier [5].
The research work is based on a joystick which can control the speed and direction
of the wheelchair [6]. The research work is based on finger movement tracking and
speech recognition. There are two features in the wheelchair. In the research work,
a multi-control system is used to control the movement tracking system. And a
vocabulary speaker is used to word acknowledgment. There is also used as a digital
signal processor for isolated word acknowledgment. The TMS320C6711DSP kit
used for speech acknowledgment. There are also switches that are used to select
the exact input signal source (joystick or voice controller) [7]. IoT and Robotics
can be used in Electronic Voting [8], Electronic Identifications [9] and in Medical
Field to Support Patients [10]. Robots are working in several sections using IoT [11].
Remote sensing Robots are also Using IoT [12]. IoT-based systems are widely used
in Farming [13]. IoT systems can protect crops and fruits [14]. IoT-based robots
are working in hospitals like a nurse [15]. Disabled people can move with IoT-
based robots [16]. Data collection Line followers are also using IoT [17]. Remote
sensing robots are collecting data with IoT protocols [18]. IoT robots are working
as a waiter in restaurants [19], Some robots are helping virus affected area [20] and
even Covid-19 affected people [21].

3 Methodology

These are the following thing we kept in mind while building the wheelchair:
• Make wheelchair simple and flexible for users
• Make the system compatible with low cost
• High efficiency with low maintenance work.
The system architecture is illustrated in Fig. 1. Over the utilization of the research
work are working following this graph according to the on-screen character and
system. Main flow of the diagram is illustrated in Fig. 2. The user can control the
wheelchair with joystick and flex sensor. But the user has to use the switch to set
up the mode in which the user wants to use joystick or flex. If the user switches to
joystick mode the only joystick will be work and flex will be stopped. And if the
user switch to flex mode only flexes will be work and joystick will stop working.
With the flex, there is another switch included for the backward going process. By
turning it on/off backward will work and stop. Normally it will work as forward.
When it turned on flex will work backward. The system will work as processing.
806 T. Md. N. U. Akhund et al.

Fig. 1 Control system processing model

Depending on the user, the system will react to what to do regarding user actions.
The components used to build this system is as follows:
1. GHP 250-Lbs Capacity PVC Mat Steel Frame Manual Wheelchair
2. Arduino Uno Rev3 Microcontroller Development Board
3. Arduino Compatible X and Y Axis Joystick Module
4. Flex Sensor, 8-Channel 12 V Relay Module
5. MY1016Z3 350 W 24 V Geared Motor for E-Bike
6. 12 V to run the wheelchair and 9 V battery to run the MCU Unit.
The block diagram of the system is mentioned in Fig. 3. Logical data modeling is
a process of determining and analyzing requirements that companies use and support
the business process, including the opportunity for related information systems. The
block diagram model includes the relation of entities, properties, and actions and
blocks. To run our wheelchair, we have used the joystick to control. It can make the
wheelchair move forward, backward, left and right. It usually controls navigation.
We have used two flex sensors to control our wheelchair like the joystick. But here it
will work a bit different. When we flex both sensors the wheelchair will move means
the two motors will get voltage and move. When we will flex one sensor it will only
work on a single motor. Other flex will react the same. Here are the different, there
is a button. If the switch is turned on the flex will work reverse so the wheelchair
Snappy Wheelchair: An IoT-Based Flex Controlled Robotic … 807

Fig. 2 Use case diagram of the system

will go backward. Then the buttons work for different purposes. One button works
for reversing the wheelchair as if it turned on it will go backward. But normally will
move to forward. The other button works as controller mode. Default is set as joystick
mode if it turned on it will work for flex sensors and joystick mode will stop. The
full system circuit diagram is mentioned in Fig. 4. 8-Channel Relay and 12v Battery,
this relay mainly works for switching the power voltage from the battery to motors.
First, it gets command from the microcontroller and it executes the command and
supplies the voltage from battery to motor. 12v battery used to power up the motors.
808 T. Md. N. U. Akhund et al.

Fig. 3 Block diagram of the system

Fig. 4 Block diagram of the system

Snappy Wheelchair: An IoT-Based Flex Controlled Robotic … 809

The Algorithm we used to implement this research work is as follows:

Step1: Declaer variable of JoysƟck and Flex sensor for analog and digital pin xAxis, yAxis, Flex1, Flex3 as
analog and BuƩonMode, BuƩonFlex, R9, R8, R7, R6, R5, R4, R3, R2 as digital.
Step2: pinMode setup R9 to R2 as Output;
step3: Read BuƩonMode.
step4: if BuƩonMode=1
step5: Read BuƩonFlex, Flex1, Flex2
if Flex1>250 and Flex2>150
WheelChair in neutral mode.
go to step6.
if BuƩonFlex=1
if Flex1<210 and Flex2>150
WheelChair in leŌ-Backword mode.
go to step6.
if Flex1>250 and Flex2<110
WheelChair in right-Backword mode.
go to step6.
if Flex1>210 and Flex2<110
WheelChair in Backword mode.
go to step6.

if BuƩonFlex = 0 then
if Flex1<210 and Flex2>150
WheelChair in leŌ-Forward mode.
go to step6.
if Flex1>250 and Flex2<110
WheelChair in right-Forward mode.
go to step6.
if Flex1>210 and Flex2<110
WheelChair in Forward mode.
go to step6.
step6: if BuƩonMode=0
step7: Read xAxis,yAxis.
if xAxis <= 550 and yAxis >= 470
WheelChair in neutral mode.
go to step7.
if yAxis > 550
if yAxis >= 750 and xAxis >= 750
WheelChair in leŌ-Forward mode.
go to step7.
if yAxis >= 750 and xAxis <= 250
WheelChair in right-Forward mode.
go to step7.
if xAxis >= 250 and xAxis <= 750
WheelChair in Forward mode.
go to step7.
if yAxis < 470
if yAxis < 470 and xAxis > 550
WheelChair in leŌ-Backword mode.
go to step7.
if yAxis <= 250 and xAxis <= 250
WheelChair in right-Backword mode.
go to step7.
if xAxis >= 250 and xAxis <= 750

4 Results

We have been working for the last one year to implement this research work. In this
wheelchair, we are trying to put a lot of features. At the beginning of the research
work, we build a prototype wheelchair then now we make it larger; it is now trans-
portable up to 130 kg. For implementation which types of electronic accessories
devices needed that implementation and what were their results that are described
below. The final output and run through is given in Fig. 5. The obtained features from
this work are as follows:
810 T. Md. N. U. Akhund et al.

Flex sensor controlling Joy-stick controlling

Fig. 5 Final output and running

1. With Joystick Controller Snappy Wheelchair will move 360°.

2. Controlled by any two fingers by flex sensors and wheelchair will move 360°.
3. Forward and backward going process shifting by button in flex sensors
controlling mode.
4. Changing controller mode from Joystick to Flex sensors mode.
The test results are as follows:
1. Implementation of Joystick: Uses of joystick for passing analog signal
in the Arduino. Then Arduino sends digital signal to the system to move
wheelchair forward, left-forward, right-forward, backward, left-backward, and
right-backward.
Test result: We were testing joystick controlling system 1000 times, and it gives
us 91% accuracy.
2. Implementation of Flex Sensors: Flex sensors are used for passing analog
signal in the Arduino and Arduino send digital signal to the system to move the
wheelchair forward, left-forward, right-forward, backward, left-backward, and
right-backward.
Test result: We were testing flex sensors controlling system 1000 times, and it
gives us 93% accuracy.
3. Implementation of Power Switch: Power switch uses to system on–off.
Test result: The test result accuracy 99%.
Snappy Wheelchair: An IoT-Based Flex Controlled Robotic … 811

4. Implementation of Mode controlling switch: Mode controlling switch uses

to shifting joystick control system to flex sensors control system and reverse of
it.
Test result: The test result accuracy 99%.
5. Implementation of Flex sensors mode controlling switch: Flex sensors mode
controlling switch uses to shifting forward–backward mode in flex sensors
controlling system.
Test result: The test result accuracy 98%.
6. Cost-Effectiveness: As amazon electric wheelchairs costs 50,000 to more than
200,000 BDT whereas they have no flex sensor controlling [22]. Our developed
system only costs 20,000 BDT. So, we can say it low cost.
The system has also some limitations. The limitations of this work are as follows:
1. Fully paralyzed people cannot use this.
2. A bit costly than a normal manual wheelchair.
3. Need to recharge the battery.
4. This is not a lightweight wheelchair.

5 Conclusion

Snappy Wheelchair gives a wide range of facility that a physically challenged person
need to move anywhere without the help of others. A challenged person pleasantly
works with this for his longing plan. As a smart wheelchair, this gives all the facilities
that ought to accommodate a physically challenged person request. Future work on
this wheelchair is to advance this wheelchair all-inclusive for make more interesting
and more useful wheelchair in this nation and furthermore the world. Some scope of
the future developments is as follow:
i. Using GPS system for tracking the location of the wheelchair & Controlling
with android application.
ii. Controlling with EMG sensor by which physically challenged person can
control this wheelchair with any sensing part of body.

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