A system, method, and apparatus to provide mobility assistance to disabled persons. The invention includes a self-driving electric cart for transporting a blind or other disabled person along a pre-defined route defined by a path of magnetic markers. The magnetic markers interact through radio waves with a control mechanism on the cart. Utilizing the present invention, the blind person could touch a button on a pre-programmed control screen and ride safely in self-driving carts to any of several specific destinations, such as a job site, grocery store, relative's home, etc.

A robot according to an embodiment may include at least one driving motor for providing a driving force for driving of the robot, a position detector including at least one sensor or receiver for detecting a position of the robot, a pressure detector including at least one sensor for detecting whether a user who in on board the robot gets off the robot and a processor for detecting the position of the robot through the position detector, recognizing that the user has arrived at the destination when it is detected that the user gets off the robot and recognize that the user has not arrived at the destination when it is not detected that the user gets off the robot.

This specification describes an adaptive robotic nursing assistant for physical tasks and patient observation and feedback. In some examples, the adaptive robotic nursing assistant includes an omni-directional mobile platform; a footrest on the omni-directional mobile platform; a handlebar located above the footrest such that a user standing on the footrest can grasp the handlebar; a display above the handlebar and at least one user input device; a robot manipulator comprising a robotic arm and an end effector on the robotic arm; and a control system coupled to the omni-directional mobile platform, the control system comprising at least one processor and memory storing executable instructions for the at least one processor to control the omni-directional mobile platform.

A processing system for a motorized mobile system includes at least one sensor to measure one or more kinematic states of an object and at least one processor to use at least one state estimation filter and at least one object kinematic model to predict a first kinematic state estimate of the object and output the first predicted kinematic state estimate for use by at least one other process of the motorized mobile system. The processor uses the first predicted kinematic state estimate and the one or more measured kinematic states to determine a second kinematic state estimate of the object and uses the second kinematic state estimate as an input to the state estimation filter to predict another kinematic state estimate of the object.

The invention discloses a system for controlling the movement of a personal mobility vehicle including a processing unit that receives and processes a location data of one or more obstacles over a period of time, determines a change frequency of change of location of the obstacles during the period of time, and generates a movement state categorization of the obstacles categorizing them into either a dynamic obstacle or a static obstacle. The processing unit further determines a dynamic distance traveled by the dynamic obstacle during the period of time, the velocity of the dynamic obstacle, determines movement probability data that relates to the probability of movement of a static obstacle based on the change frequency of change of location, and, determines velocity prediction data of a dynamic obstacle based on the velocity of dynamic obstacles during various time intervals of the time period.

Systems and methods of wheelchair systems having a companion control mode are disclosed. The wheelchair system includes a companion and a wheelchair. The wheelchair includes one or more wheels, at least one actuator coupled to the one or more wheels, a processing device, and a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium in communication with the processing device. The non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium includes one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to determine the companion, generate a companion profile based on the determined companion, determine a movement of the companion, and actuate the at least one actuator to drive the one or more wheels to follow the movement of the companion. The actuation of the at least one actuator to drive the one or more wheels to follow the movement of the companion is an autonomous control.

A lift device and method of operation thereof including two vertical extendible tower members supporting a horizontal extendible transverse member, a payload lifting device and a traveler carriage configured to translate the payload between the two vertical extendible tower members along the horizontal extendible transverse member, an omnidirectional wheel assembly, a navigation control system configured to provide navigation control to the lift device via the omnidirectional wheel assembly based on a navigation path, one of a proximity sensing system and a machine vision system configured to determine one of a presence of an obstacle or an absence of a previously detected obstacle relative to the navigation path, and a motion control system configured to provide a smooth motion control signal and a retract or expand signal to the respective members of the lift device.

A user control device for a transporter. The user control device can communicate with the transporter via electrical interface(s) that can facilitate communication and data processing among the user interface device and controllers that can control the movement of the transporter. The user control device can perform automated actions based on the environment in which the transporter operates and the user's desired movement of the transporter. External applications can enable monitoring and control of the transporter.

A boarding and alighting support structure is applied to vehicle having a deck capable of boarding in a wheelchair. The boarding and alighting support structure includes a slope plate which projects obliquely from the boarding entrance end of the deck toward the ground, and a mounting member for installing the base portion of the slope plate at the boarding entrance end of the deck. The mounting member is configured to so that one end side is fixed to the base portion, other end is fixed to the entrance port end, and the one end side is flexibly configured with respect to the other end side.

Patient care equipment includes a wireless coupler that transfers power and/or data between an architectural unit and the patient care equipment. The patient care equipment may also include additional wireless couplers that transfer power and/or data between first and second components of the equipment. The second component may be movable relative to the first component. A structure or hot swapping batteries is also disclosed, the swapped battery being charged on an inductive charging mat.