“Electric Wheelchair with Physical Therapy”
We developed a way to add convenience to disabled patients who are unable to walk. Using our electric wheelchair with physical therapy patients can go anywhere while doing physical therapy. We added an option to an electric wheelchair for patients which allows them to initiate physical therapy any time any where.
The electric wheelchair with physical therapy can move forward, backwards, turn left, turn right. Both leg support units can automatically be moved up or down gently for exercising the legs. The patient can control the wheelchair with physical therapy by pressing control buttons. When a control button is pressed a signal is send to a PIC16F887 microcontroller which control the leg support units. The electric wheelchair with physical therapy is equipped with two motors: one for each side to raise and lower the leg support unit. Each motor can gradually raise up to a 70-degree angle. The electric wheelchair with physical therapy is also equipped with a sensor to detect when the patient reaches the maximum height. When this happens, the motors stops for 5 seconds and will then gradually lower the leg automatically.
Test results showed that the electric wheelchair with physical therapy’s control mechanism work as expected. The electric wheelchair with physical therapy can accommodate patients with a maximum weight of 100kg. Raising the leg support units up and down takes 1 minute and 19 seconds: It takes 37 seconds to raise or lower the leg support unit, and a 5 seconds pause in between. On a full battery the electric wheelchair with physical therapy can operate for 3.46 hours.