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Robot wheelchair finds its own way (MIT)

web.mit.edu — MIT researchers are developing a new kind of autonomous wheelchair that can learn all about the locations in a given building, and then take its occupant to a given place in response to a verbal command.

Who dugg this? Made popular Sep 20, 2008

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44 Comments

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  • inactive, on 09/20/2008, -4/+31But can it run Crysis?
  • greenroom628, on 09/20/2008, -0/+10i bet stephen hawking is probably all over that
  • xB4R7x, on 09/20/2008, -0/+9Robograndma, coming to a nursing home near you...
  • klick37, on 09/20/2008, -0/+8They see me rollin'... To a destination I picked via my voice on a path mapped out by an intelligent wheelchair.
  • jggube, on 09/20/2008, -2/+8Now scale it up to cars and roads (from wheel chairs and the interior of buildings)!
  • twertyto, on 09/20/2008, -1/+6Prank potential very high.
  • Tarnum, on 09/20/2008, -1/+6If the user's hands are paralyzed, yes.
  • whatthefu, on 09/20/2008, -0/+5He can't talk, so he'd still be using his hand and nothing would change.
  • xB4R7x, on 09/20/2008, -0/+4wtf?
  • xB4R7x, on 09/20/2008, -0/+4Don't try to promote your own stories like this. I'm burring it and not reading it just because you did that.
  • digginamish, on 09/20/2008, -0/+4If you're in your personal holodeck (yes, they do have them at MIT), you could use the chair as an interactive controller.
  • DifferentAngle, on 09/20/2008, -1/+5"As the research progresses, Roy says he'd like to add a collision-avoidance system using detectors to prevent the chair from bumping into other wheelchairs, walls or other obstacles. In addition,Teller says he hopes to add mechanical arms to the chairs, to aid the patients further by picking up and manipulating objects -- everything from flipping a light switch to picking up a cup and bringing it to the person's lips."

    resistance is futile
  • Daxx22, on 09/20/2008, -0/+3Just wait till he's a head in a jar with laser-eyes!
  • anizzle, on 09/20/2008, -0/+3In the title, why was MIT in parentheses? That isn't affecting whether I will or will not click view the article, much less digg it.
  • BossKey, on 09/20/2008, -0/+3That would be awesome. It drives you around the house leaving a clean carpet behind it...
  • Exzhaton, on 09/20/2008, -0/+3Still waiting for Ant Farm Keyboard. :I
  • earlvanze, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2*Microsoft Bob voice* Must go to nearest bathroom.
  • greenroom628, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2well, if you add a mapping system to the console, with an eye tracker, all he would need to do is look at the room he would want to go to and the chair would do the rest.
  • deleo, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2This is actually a pretty good idea. I could see iRobot doing something like this.
  • t4stringer, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2MIT does it again...
  • jec68, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2I'm not even handicapped but I would use one.
  • compgeek, on 09/20/2008, -1/+3now even the geriatric people can be pimp rollin a wheelchair that'll take em wherever they say

  • edwartica, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2I'm sending this article to a friend of mine who would benefit from this technology. I can't wait to see her reaction.
  • MrViklund, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2Right of a cliff. Nothing I want to sit in.
  • smoothmann, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2But did they win the 2.09 convention while Ben was counting cards in Vegas?
  • earlvanze, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2Yes, but will it blend?
  • AparoidX, on 09/20/2008, -0/+2Until there are commercials of senior citizens doing tricks and dancing with them, forget it.
  • inactive, on 09/20/2008, -1/+3Wheelchair! Take me to da bathroom!
    .. .. hey hey hey aa aa aaaAAAAA AAAAAaa a a a . .... a aa .... . . . .... .... ...รค. ..

  • coadyj, on 09/20/2008, -0/+1Eeeeva
  • LessThanDan, on 09/21/2008, -0/+1I, for one, welcome our new robot wheelchair overlords.
  • digginamish, on 09/20/2008, -4/+5No, not strange at all; people are mystified because they get through an article like this and start to feel good about the kind of research that will actually be a benefit to humanity and then they find the poison pill in the last line: Microsoft.
    For most Diggers there is no category for this, and in this stupor they are unable to comment.
    Makes prefect sense to me.
  • CaviMike, on 09/20/2008, -2/+3Hey look, another way for lazy people to be lazy.
  • citydragon, on 09/20/2008, -1/+2Is moving a little joystick too much effort for people in a wheelchair?
  • amishx64, on 09/20/2008, -3/+4Can you use a wheelchair in Crysis? Didn't think so.
  • dhsiaoca, on 09/21/2008, -0/+1This would help those with memory and spatial issues (those such as myself I may add). I'd like not being a lost cripple for once, you know. I think I'm fairly stimulated when it comes to the mind and body in other respects, regardless of my issues. Sorry, "stimulated" and "body" were probably the wrong words to use, but you get the idea. I'm just not that good with directions.
  • ligyron, on 09/20/2008, -1/+2Wow, that thing is SICK!
  • FunyGirl, on 09/20/2008, -1/+2welcome to the future...
  • byobyob, on 09/20/2008, -1/+2This is cool, but I'm not sure it's the healthiest idea for the intended market. These people are already confined to wheelchairs and, realistically, probably pretty limited in the range of activities / stimulation that they get. Now with one of these, they don't even have to expend the effort to think about where the bathroom is located and how to get there? Seems like this might do more harm than good...
  • dhsiaoca, on 09/21/2008, -0/+1This would help those with memory and spatial issues (those such as myself I may add). I'd like not being a lost cripple for once, you know.
  • Alex2, on 09/20/2008, -4/+4Buried
  • inactive, on 09/20/2008, -2/+1Nice!...
  • inactive, on 09/20/2008, -6/+2You know, I hate to say it, but the lack of comments IS pretty strange...
  • inactive, on 09/20/2008, -6/+1The mission of FASA is to provide leadership, to support professionals and to promote quality programs for children and youth during out-of-school hours. To accomplish its mission, FASA provides training, advocacy, and networking opportunities for after school professionals throughout Florida.

    Many children in Florida spend as much time in year round after school programs as they do in school. Time spent in these programs offers children opportunities for growth, development, academic support, enrichment, recreation and socialization.
  • frankyfunk, on 09/20/2008, -9/+2http://digg.com/political_opinion/Miss_American_Em ...

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