We implemented our project!

[Genius Robotics]

For our research project we decided to help a 10 year friend that uses a wheelchair. Because he has Spinal Muscular Atrophy his muscles are weak and he has difficulty turning his head to see behind the high back of his wheelchair (it needs to be high to support his neck). Our solution was a sensor and camera system that we call the "Body Backward System". We built a prototype on a manual wheelchair using an NXT and ultrasonic sensors plus an automobile backup camera system.

Our friend liked our idea. But he didn't want the sensor part of the system. The sensors couldn't tell him what was behind him, just that something was there. However, he really wanted the camera part of the system for his wheelchair.

We worked with engineers from Georgia Tech's Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access (CATEA) and we installed the camera system on our friend's wheelchair last week. He loves it! You can see a video of it on Youtube: Video of the camera installation

We are in the planning stage for doing another camera installation on the wheelchair of a fellow Girl Scout. CATEA has suggested that we write up instructions on how to "do it yourself" and make them available for other people to use. That will be our next step.

If you like our video, please leave a comment on the video or sign our guestbook on our website.

[John Galt]

That was impressive!
Are you considering any ways to mass produce your camera, or are you going to be applying it strictly on a DIY/Individualized basis?

[Genius Robotics]

We are going to try to do a 2nd wheelchair. The 2nd child we are going to work with also has SMA. We have not met her yet, but we met her mother. We may need to use special switches and find an even easier to move camera mount because the girl has more trouble using her muscles than our friend. She might not be able to operate the on/off button we used for our friend. Also, she has a different kind of wheelchair so we may need to mount things differently. We'll see how it goes doing a 2nd installation and then we will know better if a kit could be made.

If a kit could be made, it couldn't be sold as a wheelchair camera without being FDA approved. To be sold specifically for a wheelchair it would have to be approved as a medical device, which would take a lot of money and time, plus it would make the kit more expensive. The engineer that helped us said with projects like this they make the instructions available so assistive technology people can help people by installing the devices as a "do it yourself" thing. This avoids the problem of it not being FDA approved and keeps it affordable.