Introduction

Since the beginning of time human beings have had to face adversity in the form of various physical disabilities. Also from the beginning of time, people have found ways to get over these difficulties using the technology of the time. Thus, we have found a way to ease our hardships through the ages.

Loss of Personal Mobility:

We have chosen to research assistive robotics for those people that are confined to wheel chairs. People a wheelchair may be confined to a wheelchair for a number reasons including but not limited to[14]:

• Spinal cord injury
• Muscular dystrophy
• Multiple sclerosis
• Polio
• Cerebral palsy
• Arthritis
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

Most of the disabilities listed above are genetic in nature. Polio is viral in nature but has largely been wiped out in the United States. Spinal cord injuries generally occur because of accidents. Regardless of the cause, all the above cause the sufferer to lose mobility in their legs, arms and other body parts resulting in a loss of personal mobility. Many people in standard wheel chairs are not self-reliant and depend upon others for help. According to the National Statistics Database of Great Britain, 61% of all people in a wheelchair said they needed help in using their standard wheelchair[10]. Nearly 15% of the population requires some form of mobility device[10].

Clearly there is a great demand for mobility assistive devices. What is the future of assistive wheelchair robotics? What has already happened in this sector? Join us in our adventure of Assistive Robotics. Use the menus above, below and to the left to navigate the site.