A joystick for an electrically-powered wheelchair includes a shaft pivotally mounted in a base and configured to control a movement of the electrically-powered wheelchair; a reset sleeve positioned over a lower portion of the shaft proximate the base; a compression spring positioned over the shaft with one end of the compression spring compressed against or fixed to an upper portion of the shaft and an opposing end of the compression spring compressed against the reset sleeve; and a flexible clip positioned over the shaft at the opposing end of the compression spring and between the compression spring and the reset sleeve, the flexible clip being removably positioned on the shaft so as to compress the compression spring between the flexible clip and a point at which the compression spring is compressed against or fixed to the upper portion of the shaft.

A patient transport apparatus transports a patient over a surface. The patient transport apparatus comprises a support structure comprising a base, a patient support surface, and a reference sensor arranged to sense inclination of the support structure. A drive system is coupled to the support structure and operable to propel the patient transport apparatus. A handle assembly is operable by a user to control operation of the drive system. The handle assembly comprises a handle movable relative to the base and a position sensor arranged to sense positioning of the handle. A controller is coupled to the reference sensor and the position sensor, and is adapted to control the drive system in response to signals received from the reference sensor and the position sensor.

Embodiments described herein are directed to a wheelchair system that includes a wheelchair and an exoskeleton. The wheelchair includes a frame, a pair of armrests coupled to the frame, and a control unit. The pair of armrests movable between an attached position and a detached position. When in the attached position, each one of the pair of armrests are coupled to the frame and when in the detached position, each one of the pair of armrests is removed from the frame. The exoskeleton is communicatively coupled to the control unit via a cable extending between the exoskeleton and the control unit. The exoskeleton being releasably coupled to at least a portion of the frame of the wheelchair. The wheelchair system is translatable between a wheelchair mode and an exoskeleton mode such that, when in the exoskeleton mode, the control unit provides electrical power and control signals to the exoskeleton.

A powered wheelchair is operated by sensor-based control pads that include force transducers to produce a variable output signal that is proportional to a varying force applied. The control pad provides an analog-type output that provides a variable speed signal to a controller to operate the wheelchair at a variable speed in both forward/reverse directions and in right or left turning directions.

This disclosure generally describes a system for warming an area surrounding a control element for controlling operation of an associated machine or device. The system can include a heating element that can warm air in and around the heating element when actuated, a blower unit that can be in fluid communication with the heating element and that can generate a flow of the warm air when the heating element and the blower unit are actuated, and a forearm extension unit that can channel the flow of the warm air from the blower unit to warm a user's forearm when the user uses an associated machine or device to which the forearm extension unit is attached. The associated machine or device can be a wheelchair.

A powered wheelchair apparatus includes a chair component, a power base component and a wheelchair control system. The wheelchair control system includes a processor and a user input device communicatively coupled to the processor. A display is communicatively coupled to the processor. A memory module is communicatively coupled to the processor that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to receive user instructions from the user input device and display a message on the display based on the user instructions. The display is on a back of the chair component.

The electric walking assisting vehicle includes: a vehicle body; left and right driving wheels; left and right motors which individually transmit power to the left and right driving wheels; universal wheels; gripping parts provided in an upper portion of the vehicle body and are gripped by a user in a standing and walking posture; a gripping sensor detecting that the gripping parts are gripped by the user; left and right rotation speed sensors individually detecting rotation speeds of the left and right driving wheels; and a control unit controlling the left and right motors. The control unit generates torque in the left and right motors in accordance with a torque map which defines relationship between the rotation speeds of the left and right driving wheels detected by the left and right rotation speed sensors and torque command values of the left and right motors in a state in which the gripping sensor is gripped.

A patient transport apparatus transports a patient over a floor surface. The patient transport apparatus comprises a support structure and support wheels coupled to the support structure. An auxiliary wheel is coupled to the support structure to influence motion of the patient transport apparatus over the floor surface to assist users. An actuator is operatively coupled to the auxiliary wheel and operable to move the auxiliary wheel relative to the support structure from a retracted position to a deployed position. A user interface sensor is operatively connected to the actuator and configured to generate signals responsive to the user touching the user interface. A controller is operatively coupled to the user interface sensor and the actuator to operate the actuator in response to detection of signals.

An operating device of an electric vehicle enables an electric vehicle to be operated, the electric vehicle having: left and right driving wheels; and left and right driving motors respectively independently driving these left and right driving wheels. The operating device has: a joystick operable to move so as to issue a turning direction instruction of the vehicle; and a traveling instruction portion issuing a traveling instruction of the vehicle by operation different from movement operation of this joystick. The joystick has a grip operable to be gripped by an occupant of the vehicle. By making a difference between rotating speeds of the left and right driving motors based on a combination of the turning direction instruction of the joystick and the traveling instruction of the traveling instruction portion, a gentle turn or a pivotal brake turn of the vehicle is performed.

Provided is a robot. The robot includes a main body provided with a traveling wheel, a seat disposed above the main body, a backrest spaced apart from the seat, a link configured to connect the seat to the backrest, a first tilting mechanism embedded in the seat, the first tilting mechanism being configured to tilt the link with respect to the seat, and a second tilting mechanism embedded in the backrest, the second tilting mechanism being configured to tilt the backrest with respect to the link.