A Smart Wheelchair with Fire Sensor, Safety Belt, Line Follower & Obstacle Avoidance Feature

Abstract

A low-cost electronic wheelchair was designed and developed which can perform the similar functions and features as a commercially available wheelchair. It also provides obstacle avoidance capability as added value. The electronic wheelchair was realized by modification of a lightweight manual wheelchair. It uses two electric motors each of 320 W 24 V DC, 5-24 VDC 6 A H-bridge drivers, and a 12V 17Ah rechargeable lead acid battery. It is equipped with switches, Line Follower, infrared sensors and ultrasonic sensors. An Arduino AtMega328 microcontroller is used to read and interpret commands. User’s acceptance evaluation results show that the developed low-costwheelchair is able to receive and interpret commands provided by the Line Follower, detect if a person is seated on it, navigate to avoid obstacles as well as to detect edge and stairs. Technical evaluation result shows that on a flat surface it could move at the speed of around 39.9 m/min without load and 32 m/min with 80 kg load. At 10 degrees inclined surface, the maximum weight limit is 30 kg with the speed of 12 m/min. At 20 degrees inclined surface, the maximum weight limit is 10 kg with the speed of 3 m/min. Regarding cost, it is just a fraction of a cost compared to the commercially available model. Therefore, the developed wheelchair offers an option for potential users who cannot afford to buy the commercially available one.

Introduction

The paper discusses the design and development of a low-cost electric wheelchair aimed at providing affordable mobility for persons with disabilities, the elderly, and those recovering from illness. Traditional wheelchairs are either manual, requiring assistance or self-propulsion, or expensive electrically powered models with advanced robotic navigation features.

This project modifies a lightweight manual wheelchair by integrating affordable components such as Arduino AtMega328 microcontroller, two wiper motors, ultrasonic and infrared sensors for obstacle detection and safety, and a joystick controller. The system includes safety features like an infrared sensor to detect user presence and ultrasonic sensors to prevent collisions and falls, particularly near stairs.

The wheelchair’s control system allows multidirectional movement, with automatic stopping triggered by proximity sensors when obstacles or edges are detected. A detailed software flowchart describes the wheelchair’s operational logic controlled via the joystick and sensors.

User acceptance tests with 30 participants across different weight categories showed excellent ratings in ease of use, sensor effectiveness, and overall functionality. Technical tests measured speed under varying loads and inclines, confirming practical performance. The cost analysis revealed the wheelchair is significantly cheaper compared to commercial electric wheelchairs while maintaining comparable functionality.

Overall, the project successfully delivers an affordable, safe, and functional electric wheelchair with obstacle avoidance capabilities, increasing accessibility for users who cannot afford high-end models.

Conclusion

Based on the results gathered throughout the study, it can be concluded that a low-cost electronic wheelchair has been successfully developed. Through testing and evaluation with 30 PWD participants having different weights, the overall performance of the wheelchair is excellent. Its performance is equivalent to the commercially available electric wheelchair but is less in cost. Moreover, it has added values such as the infrared sensor as the safety switch and ultrasonic sensors for obstacle avoidance and edge (stairs) detection. Some recommendations for further improvement are: remote control may be added to the additional navigational controller so that navigation will be possible to users who cannot stretch their arms, and add buzzers for obstacle indication to alert the user.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Virendra Sangtani , Parag Saini, Rakesh Swami, Pranshul Singh, Priyanshu Sharma, Radheshyam Sharma. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.