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

在加拿大，估计有20万人需要轮椅出行：其中约20%需要电动轮椅，10%需要四轮摩托车。驾驶电动轮椅或踏板车需要掌握基本和复杂的技能，包括控制操纵杆（轮椅）或车把（踏板车）以向前、向后和转弯。培训也被认为是提高PW安全的一种手段。事实上，由于它们的重量和速度，滑板车和pw有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，临床医生和使用者指出，为新的动力移动驾驶员提供的培训数量不足。另一个问题是，可能导致事故的情况类型只能在有限的程度上在临床环境中进行练习：让一个没有经验的滑板车使用者在人行道边缘附近练习驾驶，或者让一个PW使用者在拥挤的自助餐厅驾驶，这是不可取的；然而，这些都是在日常使用中会遇到的情况。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，因为它可以在普通的个人电脑上运行；它提供了第一人称的3D视角，并通过USB操纵杆连接。参与者得到指示，例如“请把这本书带回图书馆”，并在此过程中练习驾驶和寻路任务。我的研究计划的总体目标是根据利益相关者（如动力移动用户和专家临床医生）表达的需求，创造和评估可负担的便携式技术，这些技术将允许培训动力移动技能。在接下来的五年中，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部界面，让参与者完成不同的上肢任务，比如开门，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.