Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Independent living through ICT

Olga Stepankova, Petr Novak, Tomas Krajnik, Libor Preucil

NIT GLCzech Technical University in Prague

Czech Republic

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Department of Cybernetics

Czech Technical UniversityPrague, Czech Republic

http://cyber.felk.cvut.cz/

EU Centre of Excellence “MIRACLE” Machine Intelligence Research and Application Centre

for Learning Excellence

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Network of excellence

2005-9: coordinated by University of Tampere (Finland)

Institutions from 11 countries:• IT Universities• hospitals• Centres for Assistive Technology

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

CONDITION NUMBERS

ALS / MND 27,000

Multiple Sclerosis 135,000

Cerebral Palsy 900,000

Spinal Cord Injury 36,000

Spinal Muscular Atrophy 54,000

Retts Syndrome 29,970

Muscular Dystrophy 126,000

Brainstem Stroke 688,500

Traumatic Brain Injury 675,000

TOTAL 2,671,470Out of 450 million people in EU more than 2,5 mil.could

benefit from gaze control. But only 2000 use it !

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Develop effective means to communicate by eye gaze for people impaired by motor-control disorders

Offer assistive technology that is empowering and fun to use

Verify its advantages! Consider it for environmental

control

CTU participation: Test and develop further

I4Control Identify its user group.

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Cogain succeeded to

prove that eye control is…

• Here – now!

• Reliable• Well-supported• Not just a necessity…• …but also a choice offering

the means to

• Communicate• Control the computer• Control the environment• What about mobility?

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Gaze controlled wheelchair

Challenges? How to ensure safety?!

Gaze control requires stable illumination. What will happen if the user moves into a place with bad light conditions ?

Human behaviour and subconcious reactions, e.g. What if the user • suddenly looks towards the source a suspicious noise?• is forced to close eyes due to irritation (dust, strong light, etc.)?

Choice of interface: eyes-up X eyes-down

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Neither solution is safe (e.g. eyes-up: precise positioning, ..)

Can we build a smart wheelchair combining both solutions? Autonomous collision detection, learning, ...

This can be achieved by providing the chair with Environment sensing system (laser rangefinders,

sonars, ..) Algorithms from mobile robotics domain (self-

localization, autonomous motion planning, ..)

Eyes-down X Eyes-up interface

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

System description

Safe, comfortable gaze-controlled wheelchair

Gaze often distracted

Limited user concentration

Direct control not comfortable nor safe

Need to enforce autonomy

Environment sensing system

Algorithms of mobile robotics domain

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Wheelchair direct control2 basic types of available control

actions (to be chosen according user’s skills and constraints):

Direct control “direction of gaze = selected direction of movement” Fast (most often) Not safe enough (under

extreme conditions)

Limit Mode (action has to be selected and confirmed using UI)

Movement and turning (1m, 2m, 10deg. 45deg, …)

Only listed possibilities

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Wheelchair modes2 modes of autonomous control Indoor map Cursor is used to select the

target location on the map Offer of pre-defined target

locations (fast choice) Outdoor map Picture from camera heading

forward Surface selection (“this way”) Path suggestion & user

confirmation

Future work Customisation for individual

user Planning in complex

environment Warning the user about

important sensory input as well as about actions to come, ...

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

COGAIN 2009

Petr Novák , Olga ŠtepánkováNIT GL

Home and environment control

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Control system structure

1. 3 types of various input devices (simple buttons, directions specified by gaze , absolute position)

2. Stand-alone application with UI running on home PC3. Special output devices (IR TV controller, …) or smart

home devices equipped by any type connection (door system, …)

1 - Input devices 2 – User interface & Control system 3 - Controlled devices

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Other possibilitiesExamples of controlled appliances: Windows (open / close) – using special actuators Light or lamp (On / off ) – e.g. using wireless system Send / receive SMS by cell-phone – BlueTooth

connection between cell-phone and PCUseful solution for mobile users who can wirelessly

communicate with the home PC using any input device accessible from the wheelchair.

Person on wheelchairwith input device

Wireless connection to PC(BloeTooth, ZigBee)

Computer application

Department of Cybernetics, Czech Technical University

Conclusions

COGAIN’s experience with user trials proved: If given a choice, a significant proportion of

potential users would use eye control for at least some of the time…

Much more people could benefit from the current technology if we set the goal to

provide affordable solutions!

This can be achieved rather soon if we join forces in an interdisciplinary research including AI, robotics, psychology, ... and the users!