Modular Versatile Mobility Enhancement Technology
As mobility is a challenging key factor for personal independence and self determination and because it is inseparably linked to our quality of life, MOVEMENT stands for the transfer from the existing state of the art to a user oriented, modular as well as market compatible system approach to enhance societal mobility.
In our "Information Society", mobility can be described in three dimensions:
Fig.1: Interaction Triangle: Mobility in the "Information Society"
In a society where the percentage of old and disabled people is increasing at a significant rate, securing all three dimensions of mobility must be a social and technological goal of the highest priority. The MOVEMENT project will address all three dimensions of mobility in the "Information Society" by research into and development of realistic and practical modules for moving people, objects and information. Present state-of-the-art solutions such as conventional wheelchairs and stationary terminals or fixtures will be replaced by an expandable system of intelligent and interacting modules, which supports the personal mobility of old and disabled people.
Due to the continuously increasing life expectancy of people in western countries, the percentage of motor impaired people is constantly increasing. Less recent Europe-wide statistics denoted that 1% of the population is in need of a wheelchair and an additional 5,6% of people need some kind of walking aid. When also taking persons with chronic and age related diseases (polyarthritis, rheumatism etc.) into account, recent statistics show much higher figures. In March 2003, the German Statistics Office calculated that 1,56 Million German citizens (1,9 % of the population) depended permanently or temporarily on a wheelchair. For Europe as a whole this translates to 7,1 Million people. The increasing wheelchair usage due to ageing is shown in Fig. 2 (left). Analyses in the USA have shown that only 50% to 60% of people in need of a power wheelchair are in fact able to use state-of-the-art equipment. An additional 20% to 25% could be accommodated if more intelligent controls and user interfaces were available (Fig. 2, right).
Fig. 2: Distribution of wheelchair users to age groups (left); usability of conventional wheelchairs and market segment for intelligent wheelchairs (right);
Loss of motor abilities (manipulation and locomotion) especially affects the aged female population not only due to their higher life expectancy, but also as a result of gender-specific chronic diseases. Whereas 31% of the male population aged 75-84 report mobility problems, the figure for the female population is as high as 52%. As the decrease in motor ability is gradual and slow, there is no pressing reason to begin using a wheelchair. Thus, the major part of the ageing population is shying away from using conventional mobility aids (crutches, walkers, wheelchairs) due to their stigmatising effects, even if walking causes increasing stress, fatigue and pain and despite the risk of falling and the consequences thereof.
The last decade saw the evolution of more and more complex wheelchairs demonstrating capabilities for navigation, manipulation and transport. However, theses systems never made it to commercialisation, since they are bulky and difficult to operate. They need to be engineered for each individual human and are still all in all very costly.
Recognizing the drawbacks, MOVEMENT aims at developing a new solution for supporting personal mobility which meets the users' expectations for an inconspicuous, non-stigmatising, tailorable, ready to use and affordable mobility aid. As a consequence, the objectives of the project are:
Fig. 3: Typical combinations of MOVEMENT-modules for moving people and moving and manipulating objects.
MOVEMENT sets out to realise the necessary modules by closing the existing technological gaps:
To achieve these goals the consortium integrates research and commercial know how from recent developments in the required fields of industrial automation, transport and wheelchair technology, manipulation and robotics devices, perception and control engineering, human computer interface technology, assistive technology and gerontechnology.
Technology/Discipline | State-of-the-Art | Innovation by MOVEMENT |
---|---|---|
Assisted personal mobility | Dedicated devices like wheelchairs and walker | Modularity to enhance the flexibility of use and to reduce costs |
Commanding of mobility devices and assistive systems | Various types joysticks and single switch interfaces | High level commands and shared control principle |
Assisted manipulation | Singular solutions mounted on wheelchair and feeders | Enhanced flexibility due to modularity |
Integration by communication | Input device located stationary or carried around | Mobile, multi-functional communication terminal approaching the user on demand. |
Last update 20.01.2006