Smart electric wheelchair for the disabled and the elderly

Four students from Da Nang University of Technology, including Vo Thinh Bao, Luu Quoc Ky, Dang Van Tuan, and Nguyen Minh Sang, have just won first prize in the 8th Da Nang University Student Scientific Research Competition in 2012, with their research project on "electric wheelchairs". This is an innovative electric wheelchair with many useful features to serve the disabled and the elderly...

Group of four young people and electric wheelchair product.

All four students above participated in the Vietnam - France High Quality Engineer Training Project, University of Science and Technology - University of Danang. Sharing about the group's creative idea, Vo Thinh Bao said: "From many morning jogging sessions, Quoc Ky, the group leader, and I were always troubled when we saw many disabled people having difficulty moving in wheelchairs... so we came up with the idea of ​​"renovating" these wheelchairs".

To make and complete the smart electric wheelchair, the four friends had to spend many months researching and learning more about the design... In August 2011, the group began to form the idea and in February 2012 began to implement it. Up to now, it has been basically completed. The electric wheelchair is designed to meet the maximum needs of the majority of people with disabilities and the elderly thanks to the use of pre-designed features. Until completion, the four friends still did not expect that they could assemble and manufacture such a product. The movement and control mechanisms of the wheelchair ensure the following factors: comfort, efficiency, safety and ease of use.

Accordingly, the distance from the ground to the wheel axle is about 0.28 m to 0.45 m, the height of the armrest from the ground is from 0.67 m to 0.72 m, the height of the backrest is about 0.99 m to 1.08 m, the total height of the headrest is from 1.28 m to 1.49 m. The parts of the frame can be easily disassembled for adjustment or for other purposes when an incident occurs. The clutch is uniquely designed to help users flexibly switch from electric to manual mode when out of power or the user wants the vehicle to run in manual mode. The footrest is also designed to be suitable for users to stretch when tired or contracted. The vehicle also has two headlights to help the rider still see the road at night; Four turn signals (two left turn signals, two right turn signals) and a horn help the car operate as a vehicle when participating in traffic. In addition, the car is designed with an additional sanitary part with a seat with a door that can be opened and closed electrically or manually, increasing convenience when used.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Doan Quang Vinh, the group's instructor: "This is a meaningful topic. Since hearing the group propose the idea, I have had high hopes for the students' efforts. Currently, they are trying to improve so that wheelchairs can be applied in life."

To have a finished product, surpassing 240 other topics to excellently win first prize in the 8th Danang University Student Scientific Research Competition in 2012, this group of science-loving students overcame many financial difficulties, made efforts and were not "discouraged" in the process of completing the work. Currently, the group is conducting research and further improving the capabilities and uses of the wheelchair. For example, the wheelchair has the ability to recover energy (convert kinetic energy when the wheelchair moves downhill or when rolled by hand into electrical energy to charge the battery). The wheelchair has the following uses: adding a GPS positioning system and an LCD screen to display the parameters of the wheelchair; climbing stairs; using voice or brain waves to control; the wheelchair can move in all weather conditions...

Talking about future plans, group leader Luu Quoc Ky said: "We are completing the report to participate in the 2012 Vietnam Young Science Awards which will take place in December 2012. Although the research results of the group are not completely new, we still hope to bring useful things to many people. Contribute to sharing the loss and misfortune of people with disabilities, helping them confidently integrate into the community."

According to Nhandan-M