The assistive-mobility simulator: a virtual reality-based system for scooter and power-wheelchair users

在加拿大，估计有200,000人需要轮椅出行：其中约20%需要电动轮椅，10%需要四轮滑板车。驾驶电动轮椅或滑板车需要掌握基本和复杂的技能，包括：控制操纵杆(轮椅)或把手(滑板车)以向前、向后和转弯。培训也被认为是提高PW安全性的一种手段。事实上，由于滑板车和滑板车的重量和速度，它们存在着对使用者和其他人造成严重伤害的固有风险，以及对设备或环境的破坏。不幸的是，临床医生和用户表示，为新的机动司机提供的培训数量不足。另一个问题是，可能导致事故的情况只能在临床环境中进行有限程度的练习：让没有经验的滑板车用户练习在人行道边缘附近驾驶或在拥挤的自助餐厅驾驶PW Use Drive是不可取的；然而，这些情况将在日常使用中遇到。这就是为什么在过去的五年里，我一直致力于麦吉尔沉浸式轮椅模拟器的开发和测试。该模拟器成本低，因为它运行在常规的个人计算机上；它提供第一人称的3D透视图，并通过USB操纵杆进行交互。参与者会得到指示，如“请把这本书带回图书馆”，在这样做的过程中，练习驾驶和找路任务。我的研究计划的总体目标是创建和评估负担得起的便携技术，根据利益相关者表达的需求(如电动移动用户和专业临床医生)，这些技术将允许培训电动移动技能。在接下来的五年里，我建议将模拟器扩展到电动滑板车，这将首先需要对滑板车运动进行充分的测量和建模。我还打算增加一个低成本的手界面，允许参与者完成不同的上肢任务，如开门、按电梯按钮。

In Canada, an estimated 200,000 individuals need a wheelchair for mobility: of these approximately 20% require a powered wheelchair, while 10% require a four-wheel scooter. Driving a power wheelchair or a scooter necessitates the acquisition of both basic and complex skills that include: controlling the joystick (wheelchair) or handlebar (scooter) in order to move forward, backward and turn. Training is also recognized as a means to improve PW safety. Indeed, because of their weight and speed, scooters and PWs have an inherent risk of causing serious injuries to the user and others, as well as damage to device or the environment. Unfortunately, clinicians and users indicate that the amount of training provided to new powered mobility drivers is insufficient. Another issue is that the types of situations that may cause incidents can be practiced in a clinical setting only to a limited degree: it would be unadvisable to have an inexperienced scooter user practice driving close to the edge of a sidewalk or have a PW use drive in a crowded cafeteria; and yet, these are situations that will be encountered in daily use. This is why, over the past five years, I have been working on the development and testing of the McGill Immersive Wheelchair simulator. The simulator is low cost as it runs on a regular personal computer; it provides a first-person, 3D perspective view and is interfaced through a USB joystick. Participants are given directions, such as "Please bring this book back to the library", and in so doing practice driving and way finding tasks. The overall goal of my research program is to create and evaluate affordable and portable technology that will allow the training of powered mobility skills, according to the needs expressed by stakeholders, such as powered mobility users and expert clinicians). Over the next five years, I propose to extend the simulator to electrical scooters, which will first necessitate an adequate measurement and modelization of scooter motion. I also intend to add a low-cost hand interface to allow the participants to accomplish different upper extremity tasks, such as opening doors, pushing elevator button.