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Intelligent wheelchair control strategies for older adults with cognitive impairment: user attitudes, needs, and preferences

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Abstract

Intelligent powered wheelchairs can increase mobility and independence for older adults with cognitive impairment by providing collision avoidance and navigation support. The level and/or type of control desired by this target population during intelligent wheelchair use have not been previously explored. In this paper, we present user attitudes, needs, and preferences in a study conducted with a mock intelligent wheelchair offering three different modes of user control. Users wanted to be in the loop during wheelchair operation and/or high-level decision making, and also provided specific contexts where an autonomous wheelchair would be helpful. Participants identified benefits of and concerns with intelligent wheelchairs, along with desired features and functionality. The paper presents the implication of these findings and provides specific recommendations for future intelligent wheelchair development and deployment.

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Notes

  1. Participants tested a different scenario each day, and the study was not counterbalanced such that an equal number of participants tested each scenario on a day.

  2. Despite some statistically significant results, note that the lowest median QUEST 2.0 rating for each mode in all scenarios and survey items was 4.0 (“quite satisfied”). Only two ratings below 3.0 (“more or less satisfied”) were seen over all trials, suggesting that participants either felt uncomfortable to admit when they were unsatisfied, or were in fact generally quite satisfied with all modes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge all CanWheel team members, especially Kate Keech, Pouria TalebiFard, Emma Smith, Laura Hurd Clarke, Ben Mortenson, Paula Rushton, and Eric Rothfels for their feedback and assistance in conducting the study. We would also like to thank Ellen Maki for conducting statistical analysis, as well as GF Strong, Advanced Mobility, and LTC staff (particularly Sheralyn Manning and Guylaine Desharnais) for all their support. This research was supported by CIHR CanWheel team in Wheeled Mobility for Older Adults (AMG-100925), the Collaborative Health Research Program, Alzheimer’s Society Research Program, AGE-WELL NCE Inc.—a member of the Networks of Centres of Excellence program, Science Without Borders funded by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)—Ministry of Education of Brazil, NSERC Discovery Grant #298211, an NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Leaders Opportunity Fund / British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund Grant #13113, the Institute for Computing, Information and Cognitive Systems (ICICS) at UBC, NSERC Grant CRDPJ 434659-12 and the ICICS/TELUS People & Planet Friendly Home Initiative at UBC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Intelligent Assistive Technology and Systems Lab (IATSL), Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada

    Pooja Viswanathan, Ellen P. Zambalde, Geneviève Foley, Julianne L. Graham, Rosalie H. Wang & Alex Mihailidis

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia, 201-2366 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada

    Bikram Adhikari, Alan K. Mackworth & Ian M. Mitchell

  3. Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia, T324-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada

    William C. Miller

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  1. Pooja Viswanathan
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  2. Ellen P. Zambalde
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  3. Geneviève Foley
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  4. Julianne L. Graham
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Correspondence to Pooja Viswanathan.

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This is one of several papers published in Autonomous Robots comprising the “Special Issue on Assistive and Rehabilitation Robotics”.

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Viswanathan, P., Zambalde, E.P., Foley, G. et al. Intelligent wheelchair control strategies for older adults with cognitive impairment: user attitudes, needs, and preferences. Auton Robot 41, 539–554 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10514-016-9568-y

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