Development and evaluation of a head-controlled wheelchair system for users with severe motor impairments

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hands-free wheelchair system controlled by head movements, offering a new mobility solution for people with severe motor impairments.

Contribution

The novel contribution is a low-cost, head-motion-controlled wheelchair system using an IMU and microcontroller-based design for tetraplegic users.

Findings

The system achieved over 90% directional accuracy with a 45° head tilt.

Optimal safe speed was determined to be 1.87 km/h using a PWM value of 180.

The system was successfully integrated into a commercial wheelchair without redesigning the chassis.

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative and accessible hands-free wheelchair control system designed for individuals with severe motor impairments, particularly tetraplegic users. Unlike traditional joystick-based systems, which are often unsuitable for users with quadriplegia, our system relies on intuitive head-motion detection to enhance autonomy and ease of use. The system consists of a wearable motion-sensing cap equipped with an MPU-6050 sensor which is a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to capture head gestures, processed by an ATmega328 microcontroller (a low-power 8-bit AVR microcontroller widely used in embedded systems) integrated on an Arduino Nano development board. Wireless commands are transmitted via a Bluetooth module (HC-05) to the wheelchair’s control unit consisting of an Arduino Uno microcontroller and BTS7960 motor drivers — high-power H-bridge modules that enable bidirectional control of DC motors. The operational flow, including signal processing, gesture interpretation, and wireless transmission, is structured following a detailed flowchart-based design. Experimental results indicate a high response rate and directional accuracy of over 90 % using a 45° head tilt. The optimal safe speed was determined to be 1.87 km/h with a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) value of 180. Rather than designing a mechanical chassis from scratch, a commercially available electric wheelchair was modified by removing its joystick interface, allowing seamless integration of the head-controlled system. These findings validate the system’s usability and precision under real-world conditions. By eliminating manual input and emphasizing simplicity, the proposed solution holds strong potential as a scalable and low-cost mobility aid, especially in low-resource environments.

Image, graphical abstract

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