Improving the Localization of Electric Wheelchair by Using Particle Filter

The electric wheelchair for handicapped is used to improve the displacement of disabled persons. An automatic navigation system is needed to ensure greater autonomy and security for the disabled person. Automatic control system is added to a manual control for autonomous displacement. Initial system composed of two DC motors installed at the rear of used electric wheelchair, power module for the motors control and joystick to select speed and moving direction. We include an automatic control system composed by two electronic cards, based on microcontrollers CB405 and PIC16F877 for the signal acquisition from the encoders and distance measurements from ultrasonic sensors (SRF08 and SRF04). The ultrasonic sensors used to improve the localization when we use an automatic control system. Several techniques exist for sensors fusion solves the problems of mobile robots localization. Among these methods, we can quote the particle filter that use data from the encoders and measures from the ultrasonic sensors.