Multifunctional family accompanying intelligent wheelchair and control method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a multifunctional family accompanying intelligent wheelchair and a control method thereof. The intelligent wheelchair comprises: a wheelchair main body configured to carry a human body; a human-computer interaction module arranged on the wheelchair main body and configured to interact with a user, receive a control instruction input by the user and / or a real-time motion instruction input by the user; a walking mechanism arranged at the bottom of the wheelchair main body; an obstacle detection device arranged on the wheelchair main body and configured to detect an obstacle and feed back obstacle information; and a central control unit in communication connection with the human-computer interaction module, the walking mechanism and the obstacle detection device; wherein the central control unit is configured to have a first mode and a second mode; in the first mode, the central control unit plans a driving path according to the control instruction and the obstacle information and controls the walking mechanism to drive or stop according to the planned driving path. Through the cooperative work of the obstacle detection device and the central control unit, intelligent path planning and dynamic obstacle avoidance are realized, and the driving safety and autonomy of the wheelchair in a family environment are significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent assisted travel equipment technology, specifically to a multifunctional intelligent wheelchair for home care and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing aging of the population, the demand for intelligent assistive mobility devices is growing among the elderly and those with mobility impairments. Traditional wheelchairs are mostly manually or simply electrically driven, lacking intelligent interaction and environmental awareness capabilities, making it difficult to fully guarantee safety and convenience when navigating complex home environments.

[0003] Existing smart wheelchairs still have limitations in path planning and obstacle avoidance, often failing to flexibly adjust their routes based on real-time obstacle information. Furthermore, their limited mobility functions cannot meet the diverse companionship needs of users in daily life, such as grasping objects, preventing tipping over, and intelligent battery management, thus restricting the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a multifunctional smart wheelchair for home care and its control method, which can achieve precise path planning and dynamic obstacle avoidance, and integrate multiple auxiliary functions to improve the safety and versatility of use.

[0005] This invention is achieved using the following technical solution:

[0006] A multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care includes: a wheelchair body configured to support a human body; a human-computer interaction module disposed on the wheelchair body, configured to interact with the user and receive control commands and / or real-time motion commands input by the user; a walking mechanism disposed at the bottom of the wheelchair body; an obstacle detection device disposed on the wheelchair body, configured to detect obstacles and provide obstacle information feedback; and a central control unit communicatively connected to the human-computer interaction module, the walking mechanism, and the obstacle detection device; wherein the central control unit is configured to have a first mode and a second mode; in the first mode, the central control unit plans a driving path according to the control commands and obstacle information and controls the walking mechanism to drive or stop according to the planned driving path; in the second mode, the central control unit controls the walking mechanism to drive or stop according to the real-time motion commands received by the human-computer interaction module; the second mode has a higher priority than the first mode, and when the central control unit receives a real-time motion command from the second mode while operating in the first mode, it disconnects the operation of the first mode and switches to the second mode.

[0007] Preferably, the obstacle detection device includes a radar detection device and a binocular camera; the radar detection device is configured to accurately measure the distance, orientation, and motion state of the obstacle, and the binocular camera is configured to acquire a three-dimensional environmental image and semantic information of the obstacle; the central control unit is further configured to: fuse the distance, orientation, and motion state information fed back by the radar detection device with the three-dimensional environmental image and semantic information acquired by the binocular camera, and replan the driving path based on the fused information.

[0008] Preferably, the human-computer interaction module includes a touch screen and a control joystick; the touch screen is used to receive control commands input by the user, and the control joystick is used to receive real-time motion commands input by the user.

[0009] Preferably, the walking mechanism includes: a pair of front wheels configured to control direction, wherein the pair of front wheels are Mecanum wheels; a pair of rear wheels; and a motor meshing with the pair of rear wheels and configured to drive the pair of rear wheels; wherein the pair of front wheels, the pair of rear wheels, and the motor are all controlled by the central control unit.

[0010] Preferably, it also includes a pair of auxiliary wheels, each extending from a pair of motors toward the rear of the smart wheelchair, configured to prevent the smart wheelchair from tipping backward when going uphill.

[0011] Preferably, a robotic arm, one end of which is connected to the wheelchair body, the robotic arm having multiple controllable shafts and configured to turn at different angles; and a robotic hand, connected to the other end of the robotic arm and configured to grasp objects.

[0012] A control method for a multifunctional smart home care wheelchair, applied to any of the multifunctional smart home care wheelchairs described above, the control method comprising: the human-computer interaction module interacting with the user and receiving control commands and / or real-time motion commands input by the user; the obstacle detection device detecting obstacles and feeding back obstacle information to the central control unit; the central control unit controlling the walking mechanism to autonomously drive or stop according to the driving path in a first mode; and upon receiving a real-time motion command, the central control unit triggering priority arbitration, disconnecting the operation of the first mode and switching to a second mode, in which the walking mechanism is controlled to drive or stop according to the real-time motion command.

[0013] Preferably, the walking mechanism includes a Mecanum front wheel, a rear wheel, and a motor. The smart wheelchair also includes a pair of auxiliary wheels, which extend from the pair of motors toward the rear of the smart wheelchair. The method further includes: the central control unit controlling the front wheel and the motor to work together to achieve omnidirectional movement, and the auxiliary wheels providing an upward supporting torque to prevent the smart wheelchair from tipping backward when going uphill.

[0014] Preferably, the intelligent wheelchair further includes a robotic arm and a robotic hand with multiple controllable axes, and the human-machine interaction module includes a touch screen and a control joystick; the touch screen is used to receive control commands input by the user, and the control joystick is used to receive real-time motion commands input by the user; the method further includes: the touch screen is used to receive object retrieval commands input by the user, switch to object retrieval mode, and when an object retrieval command is received, the control joystick controls the robotic arm to turn to the target spatial coordinates, and the robotic hand closes to grasp the object.

[0015] Preferably, the obstacle detection device includes a radar detection device and a binocular camera; the radar detection device is configured to accurately measure the distance, orientation, and motion state of the obstacle, and the binocular camera is configured to acquire a three-dimensional environmental image and semantic information of the obstacle; the central control unit is further configured to: fuse the distance, orientation, and motion state information fed back by the radar detection device with the three-dimensional environmental image and semantic information acquired by the binocular camera, and replan the driving path based on the fused information; the method also includes: dynamically displaying the planned driving path and current position by the human-computer interaction module; and triggering a collision warning or automatic emergency braking by the central control unit when detecting a dangerous obstacle that cannot be bypassed based on the fused information.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: Through the collaborative work of the obstacle detection device and the central control unit, intelligent path planning and dynamic obstacle avoidance are achieved, significantly improving the safety and autonomy of wheelchairs in the home environment.

[0017] By integrating robotic arms, robotic hands, and anti-tilt extension arms and auxiliary wheels, the wheelchair's assistive working capabilities are expanded, and its mechanical stability in complex terrains (such as uphill slopes) is enhanced.

[0018] The central control unit fuses the distance, orientation, and motion status information fed back by the radar detection device with the three-dimensional environmental images and semantic information acquired by the binocular camera. This multi-dimensional data fusion not only significantly improves the robustness of path planning, but also ensures that autonomous driving in the first mode can bypass potential risk areas in real time. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the overall structure of a multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a multifunctional home care intelligent wheelchair control method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0025] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0026] Reference Figures 1-3 , Figure 1This is an overall structural block diagram of a multifunctional smart wheelchair for home care according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a multifunctional smart wheelchair for home care, which may include multiple cooperating subsystems and components to achieve complex environmental perception, autonomous navigation, human-computer interaction, and physical assistance functions. Traditional wheelchairs in the prior art typically only possess basic mobility functions, and suffer from limitations such as low intelligence, poor environmental adaptability, and inability to meet the diverse lifestyle needs of users. The multifunctional smart wheelchair for home care according to embodiments of the present invention, by integrating advanced sensing, control, and actuator mechanisms, can overcome these limitations and achieve a highly intelligent home care experience. In some embodiments, the smart wheelchair may include a wheelchair body 100, a human-computer interaction module 200, a walking mechanism 300, an obstacle detection device 400, and a central control unit 500. The central control unit 500 and the components such as the human-computer interaction module 200, the walking mechanism 300, and the obstacle detection device 400 can be connected and powered via wired or wireless means to construct a complete intelligent robot system.

[0027] In some embodiments, the wheelchair body 100 can be configured to support a human body and serve as the physical support platform for the entire intelligent wheelchair. Existing wheelchair frames often employ a single welded steel tube structure, which suffers from limitations such as high weight and poor expandability. The wheelchair body 100 according to embodiments of the present invention overcomes this limitation through a modular and lightweight design. In some embodiments, the wheelchair body 100 can be manufactured from high-strength aluminum alloy, carbon fiber composite materials, or combinations thereof, which not only significantly reduces the vehicle's weight but also provides sufficient structural strength to ensure user safety. For example, the load-bearing capacity of the wheelchair body 100 can be approximately 120 kg, but the invention is not limited to this; in other embodiments, its load-bearing capacity can be further increased through enhanced structural design. Furthermore, the wheelchair body 100 may include a seat portion 110, a backrest portion 120, and a footrest portion 130, which are ergonomically designed to provide a comfortable riding experience. In some embodiments, the angles of the seat and backrest can be electrically adjusted by a central control unit 500 to adapt to the user's posture requirements in different scenarios.

[0028] In some embodiments, the human-computer interaction module 200 can be mounted on the wheelchair body 100 and configured to interact with the user and accept control commands input by the user. Existing wheelchair control interfaces typically only include simple physical buttons, which limits the interaction methods and information display to a single, unintuitive manner. The human-computer interaction module 200 according to embodiments of the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a multimodal interaction interface. The human-computer interaction module 200 includes a touchscreen 210 and a control joystick 220; the touchscreen 210 is used to accept control commands input by the user, and the control joystick 220 is used to accept real-time motion commands input by the user.

[0029] In some embodiments, the touchscreen 210 may include at least one of a touch display screen, a voice recognition module, and a button panel. Users can input destination information, select operating modes, or adjust system parameters through the graphical user interface (GUI) on the touchscreen. In some embodiments, the touchscreen 210 can also receive voice commands from users, such as "stop moving forward," and convert them into digital control commands sent to the central control unit 500. Furthermore, the touchscreen 210 is further configured to display a driving path planned by the central control unit 500. In some embodiments, the display screen may present a two-dimensional or three-dimensional map of the home environment, and mark the current location, target location, and planned driving trajectory of the smart wheelchair on the map in real time, thereby providing users with a clear and intuitive understanding of the wheelchair's operating status.

[0030] In some embodiments, the control joystick 220 may be mounted on the wheelchair body 100, for example, on the armrest of the seat, for easy one-handed operation by the user. The control joystick 220 is connected to the central control unit 500 and configured to send real-time motion commands to the central control unit 500 based on the direction of the joystick's movement. In some embodiments, the control joystick 220 has five trigger directions: forward, backward, left, right, and center, corresponding to forward, backward, left turn, right turn, and stop / brake commands, respectively. When the user pushes the control joystick 220 forward, the smart wheelchair performs a forward movement; pushing it to the right performs a right turn; pushing it to the left performs a left turn; and pushing it backward performs a backward movement. When the user releases the control joystick 220, causing it to automatically spring back to the center position, the central control unit 500 immediately issues a stop / brake command, controlling the motor 330 to stop outputting power and potentially activating the braking device to ensure the wheelchair stops quickly and safely.

[0031] In some embodiments, the central control unit 500 is configured to have a first mode and a second mode, and possesses priority arbitration logic. Specifically, the first mode is an autonomous navigation mode, in which the central control unit 500 plans the driving path and controls the walking mechanism 300 based on the target location command sent from the touch screen 210 and the global map. The second mode is a manual takeover mode, for example, by sending real-time motion commands via the control joystick 220. One of the core improvements of this invention is that the priority of the second mode is set higher than that of the first mode. This priority setting is for safety and immediate response to user intent. When the user suddenly operates the control joystick 220 while the wheelchair is in the autonomous driving first mode, the interrupt handler in the central control unit 500 immediately captures the signal and disconnects the algorithm operation of the first mode within milliseconds, releasing autonomous control of the walking mechanism 300 and switching to fully execute the real-time motion commands in the second mode. This forced switching mechanism ensures that the user can instantly gain physical control of the wheelchair in case of an emergency or change of mind, avoiding decision-making delays that may occur in complex environments for the autonomous system. The second mode terminates when the user releases the control joystick 220, causing it to automatically spring back to the center position.

[0032] Furthermore, the obstacle detection device 400 is positioned in front of the wheelchair body 100 at an unobstructed location and is configured to detect obstacles and feed the obstacle information back to the central control unit 500. In some embodiments, the obstacle detection device 400 includes a radar detection device 410 and a binocular camera 420. The radar detection device 410 is used to accurately measure the physical parameters of obstacles, such as distance, orientation, and motion state; the binocular camera 420 is used to acquire three-dimensional environmental images and semantic information (such as obstacle type, outline, texture, etc.) of the obstacles, enabling obstacle identification and classification. The central control unit 500 is further configured to perform multi-sensor data fusion of the physical ranging information fed back by the radar detection device 410 and the three-dimensional environmental image semantic information acquired by the binocular camera 420, and to replan the driving path based on the fused comprehensive information.

[0033] The binocular camera 420 mimics human vision, acquiring left-right image sequences of the same scene through two parallel photosensitive elements. The central control unit 500 uses a parallax algorithm (such as the semi-global matching (SGM) algorithm) to calculate the depth information of each pixel in the image, thereby constructing a 3D point cloud map. This 3D perception capability complements the 2D scanning data from the radar detection device 410. While the radar detection device 410 has extremely high accuracy in distance measurement and horizontal obstacle avoidance, it has limitations when handling complex environmental features such as low-hanging cables, ground depressions, or steps. Through sensor fusion technology, the central control unit 500 is configured to spatially align and temporally fuse the radar's point cloud data with the depth images from the binocular camera, and use the fused environmental perception information for driving path planning. For example, when the binocular camera 420 detects an anomaly in the parallax data of the ground ahead, combined with the distance abrupt change information fed back by the radar at the same location, the central control unit 500 can more accurately plan a driving path to avoid that area, rather than relying solely on the judgment of a single sensor. This multi-dimensional data fusion not only significantly improves the robustness of path planning but also ensures that autonomous driving in the first mode can bypass potentially risky areas in real time. Furthermore, the central control unit 500 can execute collision warnings or automatic emergency braking based on the fused information to ensure the intelligent wheelchair operates safely along the planned path.

[0034] In some embodiments, the central control unit 500 may have built-in global path planning algorithm and local path planning algorithm, which can calculate an optimal or suboptimal collision-free path based on a pre-built environmental map and user-defined target points.

[0035] After receiving obstacle information, the central control unit 500 assesses the obstacle. When the central control unit 500 determines that the obstacle is located on the planned driving path and cannot be passed, it is configured to replan a driving path to bypass the obstacle. In some embodiments, the replanning step may include: evaluating the dynamic characteristics of the obstacle (such as being stationary or moving), calculating the safe detour radius, generating a new local trajectory, and smoothly transitioning to the new trajectory, thereby achieving dynamic, real-time intelligent obstacle avoidance.

[0036] Reference Figures 1-3 , Figure 2 and Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multifunctional smart home care wheelchair according to an embodiment of the present invention. In some embodiments, the walking mechanism 300 may be disposed at the bottom of the wheelchair body 100 for control by the central control unit 500 and to travel along a set travel path. The walking mechanism 300 is the core component for realizing the physical movement of the smart wheelchair. In some embodiments, the walking mechanism 300 may include a pair of front wheels 310, a pair of rear wheels 320, and a pair of motors 330. Existing wheelchair walking mechanisms typically use ordinary omnidirectional wheels as front wheels, which have limitations such as inflexible steering and difficulty in maneuvering in narrow spaces. The walking mechanism 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention overcomes this limitation by introducing a specially structured wheel body and an independent drive system.

[0037] In some embodiments, a pair of front wheels 310 are configured for directional control, wherein the pair of front wheels 310 may be Mecanum wheels. A Mecanum wheel is a wheel with a special structure in which multiple rollers inclined at a specific angle (typically 45 degrees) are mounted around the hub. In some embodiments, through the coordinated control of the pair of front wheels 310 and the pair of rear wheels 320 by the central control unit 500, the smart wheelchair can achieve omnidirectional movement, including straight movement, diagonal movement, and turning in place. This omnidirectional movement capability greatly improves the smart wheelchair's maneuverability and mobility in complex environments such as narrow hallways and crowded rooms in the home. In some embodiments, the pair of front wheels 310 and the pair of motors 330 are both controlled by the central control unit 500. The central control unit 500 can calculate the required speed and direction of each wheel in real time based on the desired motion vector through inverse kinematics calculation, and output the corresponding pulse width modulation (PWM) signal or control command.

[0038] In some embodiments, a pair of rear wheels 320 may serve as the primary drive wheels, and a pair of motors 330 are respectively engaged with the pair of rear wheels 320 and configured to drive the pair of rear wheels 320. In some embodiments, the motors 330 may be brushless DC motors, stepper motors, or servo motors. To provide sufficient drive torque, the motors 330 may be equipped with reducers, such as planetary gear reducers or harmonic reducers.

[0039] In some embodiments, to further enhance the safety of the smart wheelchair in complex terrain, the smart wheelchair may also include a pair of auxiliary wheels 700. Existing wheelchairs, when climbing steep slopes or crossing thresholds, pose a serious safety hazard of tipping backward due to a rearward shift of the center of gravity. The extension arms and auxiliary wheels 700 according to embodiments of the present invention overcome this limitation by providing additional physical support. In some embodiments, the pair of extension arms may be respectively fixed to the housings of a pair of motors 330 or the rear frame of the wheelchair body 100, and extend towards the rear end of the smart wheelchair. The pair of extension arms may be tilted downwards to form a specific anti-tipping angle. In some embodiments, the pair of auxiliary wheels 700 are respectively disposed at the ends of the pair of extension arms. When the smart wheelchair is going uphill or accelerating, causing the front of the wheelchair to lift, the tilted extension arms cause the auxiliary wheels 700 to contact the ground, thereby providing an upward supporting torque, configured to prevent the smart wheelchair from tipping backwards when going uphill.

[0040] In some embodiments, a reversing camera is also provided at an unobstructed position behind the wheelchair body 100. The reversing camera is configured to detect obstacles and feed the obstacle information back to the central control unit 500. The central control unit 500 then displays the obstacle information through the touch screen 210 to provide the user with reversing reference.

[0041] In some embodiments, the intelligent wheelchair may further include a robotic arm 800 and a robotic hand (not shown in the figures) to extend the wheelchair's physical maneuverability. Existing wheelchairs only address the user's mobility; for users with weak upper limb strength or limited mobility, retrieving dropped items or grasping tabletop objects remains extremely difficult. The robotic arm 800 and robotic hand according to embodiments of the present invention overcome this limitation by providing flexible, biomimetic manipulation. In some embodiments, one end of the robotic arm 800 may be connected to the wheelchair body 100, for example, mounted on the side of the seat or the backrest. The robotic arm 800 may have multiple controllable axes (e.g., a redundant 4-axis, 6-axis, or 7-axis robotic arm) and be configured to turn at different angles. This multi-degree-of-freedom design allows the robotic arm 800 to flexibly avoid obstacles within its workspace and reach designated spatial coordinates. In some embodiments, the robotic hand may be connected to the other end of the robotic arm 800 and configured to grasp objects. The robotic hand may be a two-finger gripper, a three-finger dexterous hand, or a suction cup-type end effector. In some embodiments, the user can send a grasping command to the central control unit 500 via the human-machine interface module 200 or the control joystick 220. The central control unit 500 calculates the target angles of each joint of the robotic arm 800 using an inverse kinematics algorithm and drives the corresponding joint motors to move the robotic arm to the target object for grasping. In some embodiments, the robotic arm may also integrate a vision sensor or a force sensor to achieve automatic identification of the target object and adaptive force grasping, preventing the crushing of fragile items.

[0042] In some embodiments, the smart wheelchair may further include a charging base 900 to ensure a continuous power supply for the system. Existing wheelchair battery management systems are often rudimentary, with limitations such as short battery life and susceptibility to overcharging and overheating. The charging base 900 and its integrated intelligent management functions according to embodiments of the present invention overcome this limitation. In some embodiments, the charging base 900 may be located at the rear or bottom of the smart wheelchair. The charging base 900 contains a battery pack, which may be a high-energy-density lithium-ion battery, lithium iron phosphate battery, or solid-state battery. The charging base 900 is provided with a charging interface 910 for connecting an external power adapter or automatic charging station. In some embodiments, the charging base 900 is electrically connected to the walking mechanism 300 (including a motor 330) to provide power for the wheelchair's movement; simultaneously, the charging base 900 also powers all electronic devices such as the central control unit 500, the human-machine interface module 200, the obstacle detection device 400, and the robotic arm 800.

[0043] In some embodiments, the charging dock 900 is also communicatively connected to the central control unit 500. The central control unit 500 is further configured to monitor the voltage, current, and temperature status of the battery pack in real time. In some embodiments, the central control unit 500 can analyze the collected battery status data through a built-in battery management system (BMS) algorithm and optimize the charging and discharging strategy based on the monitored status. For example, when the battery temperature is detected to be too high, the central control unit 500 can actively reduce the output power of the motor 330 or suspend the charging process to prevent overheating and thermal runaway; when the battery voltage is detected to be close to a critical low value, the use of high-energy-consuming components (such as the robotic arm 800) can be limited, and a low battery alarm can be issued to the user to prevent over-discharge of the battery; during the charging process, a constant current-constant voltage (CC-CV) intelligent charging curve can be adopted to prevent overcharging of the battery. Through these optimization strategies, the electrical safety of the smart wheelchair can be significantly improved, and the battery pack life can be effectively extended.

[0044] Reference Figure 4 In some embodiments, the present invention also provides a control method for a multifunctional smart wheelchair for home care, which can be applied to the multifunctional smart wheelchair for home care described in any of the above embodiments. The smart wheelchair includes a wheelchair body 100, a human-computer interaction module 200, a walking mechanism 300, an obstacle detection device 400, and a central control unit 500. In some embodiments, the control method may include a series of coordinated steps to achieve safe and efficient operation of the smart wheelchair.

[0045] Specifically, the control method includes the following steps: S1, Interaction and Perception The interaction step involves the human-computer interaction module 200 interacting with the user and accepting control commands and / or real-time motion commands input by the user. In this step, the user can tap preset room names (such as "kitchen" or "bathroom") on the touchscreen or speak their destination. The human-computer interaction module 200 converts these unstructured user intentions into structured control commands (such as coordinate data of the target point) and transmits them to the central control unit 500. In some embodiments, the interaction step may also include an authentication process, such as facial recognition or fingerprint recognition, to ensure that only authorized users can operate the wheelchair.

[0046] Obstacle detection device 400 detects obstacles and feeds back obstacle information. During the movement of the intelligent wheelchair, obstacle detection device 400 continuously emits detection signals to the surrounding environment and receives reflected signals, thereby constructing a local point cloud map or occupancy grid map of the environment in front in real time. This obstacle information (including the location, size, type, distance, etc. of the obstacle) is fed back to the central control unit 500 at high frequency. In some embodiments, to improve the robustness of detection, obstacle detection device 400 may also include radar detection device 410 and binocular camera 420, fusing the data from radar detection device 410 and binocular camera 420 to obtain more comprehensive obstacle information.

[0047] S2, Data Fusion and Path Planning The central control unit 500 plans the driving path and controls the walking mechanism 300 to move or stop according to control commands. After receiving the target coordinates, the central control unit 500 calls up global map data and uses at least one path search algorithm to calculate a globally optimal path from the current position to the target position. Subsequently, the central control unit 500 decomposes the global path into a series of local waypoints and generates low-level drive signals to control the walking mechanism 300, causing the smart wheelchair to begin moving smoothly along the planned path. In some embodiments, if the control command is "stop", the central control unit 500 will control the walking mechanism 300 to smoothly decelerate and eventually stop.

[0048] When the central control unit 500 determines, based on obstacle information, that an obstacle is located on the planned driving path and cannot be passed, it replans a driving path to bypass the obstacle. In this step, the central control unit 500 compares the currently planned driving path with the obstacle position reported by the obstacle detection device 400 in real time. If a new obstacle is detected ahead (e.g., a person suddenly moving or a fallen object), the central control unit 500 first assesses whether it can be avoided by fine-tuning the course. If the obstacle completely blocks the path and cannot be passed directly, the central control unit 500 immediately triggers a local path replanning mechanism, generating a new path around the obstacle while maintaining a safe distance, and controls the walking mechanism 300 to travel along the new path. If the surrounding space is too narrow to bypass, the central control unit 500 can stop the wheelchair and issue a prompt to the user through the human-machine interface module 200.

[0049] S3, Autonomous Driving Mode The autonomous driving mode is the autonomous navigation mode of the first mode. The central control unit 500 plans the driving path and controls the walking mechanism 300 to drive based on the target location command sent by the touch screen 210 and the global map.

[0050] S4. Determine if a joystick command is detected. If so, proceed to S5. S5, Manual Takeover Mode When the central control unit 500 receives a real-time motion command from the control joystick 220, it switches to the second mode. The central control unit 500 controls the intelligent wheelchair to move or stop according to the real-time motion command. The control joystick 220 has five trigger directions: forward, backward, left, right, and center, corresponding to forward, backward, left turn, right turn, stop, and brake commands, respectively. In the second mode, the central control unit 500 prioritizes responding to the commands from the control joystick 220, suspending autonomous path planning, but retaining the emergency obstacle avoidance function of the obstacle detection device 400 to prevent collisions caused by user error.

[0051] In some embodiments, the control method may further include a path display step: the human-machine interface module 200 displays the driving path planned by the central control unit 500. After the central control unit 500 completes global or local path planning, it sends the coordinate sequence of the path to the human-machine interface module 200. The graphics rendering engine of the human-machine interface module 200 converts these coordinate sequences into visual lines or arrows and overlays them onto the map interface displayed on the screen. In some embodiments, the displayed path can also be dynamically updated according to the real-time position of the wheelchair; the path that has been traveled can change color or disappear, and the path that is about to be traveled can be highlighted, thereby providing the user with clear navigation guidance and psychological expectations.

[0052] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any non-substantial changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care, characterized in that, include: The wheelchair body is configured to support the human body; The human-computer interaction module is installed on the wheelchair body and is configured to interact with the user and accept control commands and / or real-time motion commands input by the user. The walking mechanism is located at the bottom of the wheelchair body; An obstacle detection device, mounted on the wheelchair body, is configured to detect obstacles and provide obstacle information. as well as The central control unit is communicatively connected to the human-machine interaction module, the walking mechanism, and the obstacle detection device, respectively. The central control unit is configured to have a first mode and a second mode; In the first mode, the central control unit plans the driving path according to the control command and obstacle information and controls the walking mechanism to drive or stop according to the planned driving path; In the second mode, the central control unit controls the walking mechanism to move or stop according to the real-time motion commands received by the human-machine interaction module; The second mode has a higher priority than the first mode. When the central control unit receives a real-time motion command from the second mode while operating in the first mode, it disconnects the operation of the first mode and switches to the second mode.

2. The multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The obstacle detection device includes a radar detection device and a binocular camera; the radar detection device is configured to accurately measure the distance, orientation, and motion state of the obstacle, and the binocular camera is configured to acquire three-dimensional environmental images and semantic information of the obstacle; The central control unit is further configured to: fuse the distance, orientation, and motion status information fed back by the radar detection device with the three-dimensional environmental image and semantic information acquired by the binocular camera, and replan the driving path based on the fused information.

3. The multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The human-computer interaction module includes a touch screen and a control joystick; the touch screen is used to receive control commands input by the user, and the control joystick is used to receive real-time motion commands input by the user.

4. The multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The walking mechanism includes: a pair of front wheels configured to control direction, wherein the pair of front wheels are Mecanum wheels; a pair of rear wheels; and a motor meshing with the pair of rear wheels and configured to drive the pair of rear wheels; wherein the pair of front wheels and the motor are both controlled by the central control unit.

5. The multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a pair of auxiliary wheels, each extending from a pair of motors toward the rear of the smart wheelchair, configured to prevent the smart wheelchair from tipping backward when going uphill.

6. The multifunctional smart wheelchair for family care as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A robotic arm, one end of which is connected to the wheelchair body, has multiple controllable shafts and is configured to turn at different angles; And a robotic arm, connected to the other end of the robotic arm, configured to grasp objects.

7. A control method for a multifunctional smart home care wheelchair, applied to the multifunctional smart home care wheelchair as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The control method includes: The human-computer interaction module interacts with the user and accepts control commands and / or real-time motion commands input by the user. The obstacle detection device detects obstacles and feeds the obstacle information back to the central control unit; The central control unit controls the walking mechanism to autonomously drive or stop according to the driving path in the first mode; and Upon receiving a real-time motion command, the central control unit triggers priority arbitration, disconnects the operation of the first mode, and switches to the second mode. In the second mode, the walking mechanism is controlled to move or stop according to the real-time motion command.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The walking mechanism includes a Mecanum front wheel, a rear wheel, and a motor. The smart wheelchair also includes a pair of auxiliary wheels, which extend from the pair of motors toward the rear of the smart wheelchair. The method further includes: the central control unit controls the front wheel and the motor to work together to achieve omnidirectional movement, and the auxiliary wheels provide an upward supporting torque to prevent the smart wheelchair from tipping backward when going uphill.

9. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The intelligent wheelchair also includes a robotic arm and a robotic hand with multiple controllable axes. The human-machine interaction module includes a touch screen and a control joystick. The touch screen is used to receive control commands input by the user, and the control joystick is used to receive real-time motion commands input by the user. The method further includes: a touch screen for receiving user input of object retrieval instructions, switching to object retrieval mode, and when an object retrieval instruction is received, the control joystick controls the robotic arm to turn to the target spatial coordinates, and the robotic hand closes to grasp the object.

10. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The obstacle detection device includes a radar detection device and a binocular camera; the radar detection device is configured to accurately measure the distance, orientation, and motion state of the obstacle, and the binocular camera is configured to acquire three-dimensional environmental images and semantic information of the obstacle; The central control unit is further configured to: fuse the distance, orientation, and motion status information fed back by the radar detection device with the three-dimensional environmental image and semantic information acquired by the binocular camera, and replan the driving path based on the fused information; The method further includes: dynamically displaying the planned driving path and current location by the human-computer interaction module; And the central control unit, based on the fused information, can trigger a collision warning or automatic emergency braking when it detects a dangerous obstacle that cannot be bypassed.

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