1238 Part F Field and Service Robotics robot that can also be used as a physical support to people requiring mobility and stability assistance.It has also doubled as a mobile kiosk,moving around a trade show floor and delivering information to atten- dees. Mobility Aids:Wheelchair Navigation Systems A critical function for people who use electric wheelchairs for their mobility impairment and who in addition have communication or cognitive disability is semi-autonomous navigation assistance (Fig.53.5). Add-ons to commercial wheelchairs have been devel- oped by numerous research groups for this service. The NavChair [53.120]was one of the first to demon- strate robust wall-following,door passage even with narrow doorways,and speed adaptation to people walking in front of the wheelchair,all using only short- range ultrasonic and other sensors,but not vision.The Hephaestus [53.22]is a next-generation system made specifically as a commercial accessory for a variety Part F53.3 of wheelchair brands,tapping into the joystick con- troller and power system.The Wheelseley [53.121] Fig.53.4 Wheelchair manipulator robot MANUS devel- and KARES [53.20]robots have explored similar func- oped at the Rehabilitation R&D Center,Hoensbroek,and tionality using a vision system for scene analysis and marketed by Exact Dynamics (The Netherlands) way-finding. Mobility Aids:Walking Assistance Systems A third type of mobile robot for stability assistance has the particularity that it is underactuated and has similar- ity with a co-bot in that the wheels are not driven,but are actively steered and braked (Fig.53.6).The Pam- Aid [53.122]looks like a closed-front walker on wheels and has bicycle-type handlebars.The person walking be- hind the device turns the handlebars,causing the wheels to turn in the correct direction.If the ultrasonic sen- sors detect an obstacle in front of it,the brakes prevent the user and device from colliding with it.The Care- O-bot (see before),designed originally as a mobile Fig.53.5a,b Wheelchair navigation aids:(a)Wheelesley and (b)Hepahaestus autonomous robot of approximately human size,has a similar set of handlebars to Pam-Aid so it can be used as a smart walker.The larger mass of the Care-O-bot, around the world.More recently,real robots such as the however,requires it to be motorized. HelpMate [53.117]have been employed in US hospi- tals as fetch-and-carry robot orderlies,using floor maps Cognitive Aids and short-range ultrasonic sensors for navigation and There has recently been increased interest in using robots obstacle avoidance.The Italian MovAid research robot as motivational and educational agents during rehabil- platform [53.118]adds manipulation and vision to these itation therapy.This approach typically involves small, capabilities to navigate in home-like environments to pet-like,toy-like,approachable devices that do not phys- provide object manipulation and device operation to in- ically interact with the patient,but exist primarily to dividual users.The German Care-O-bot [53.119]has engage the patient in an affective way that promotes per- explored advanced navigation and sensing in a wheeled sonal health,growth and interaction.For example.the1238 Part F Field and Service Robotics Fig. 53.4 Wheelchair manipulator robot MANUS devel￾oped at the Rehabilitation R&D Center, Hoensbroek, and marketed by Exact Dynamics (The Netherlands) a) b) Fig. 53.5a,b Wheelchair navigation aids: (a) Wheelesley and (b) Hepahaestus around the world. More recently, real robots such as the HelpMate [53.117] have been employed in US hospi￾tals as fetch-and-carry robot orderlies, using floor maps and short-range ultrasonic sensors for navigation and obstacle avoidance. The Italian MovAid research robot platform [53.118] adds manipulation and vision to these capabilities to navigate in home-like environments to provide object manipulation and device operation to in￾dividual users. The German Care-O-bot [53.119] has explored advanced navigation and sensing in a wheeled robot that can also be used as a physical support to people requiring mobility and stability assistance. It has also doubled as a mobile kiosk, moving around a trade show floor and delivering information to atten￾dees. Mobility Aids: Wheelchair Navigation Systems A critical function for people who use electric wheelchairs for their mobility impairment and who in addition have communication or cognitive disability is semi-autonomous navigation assistance (Fig. 53.5). Add-ons to commercial wheelchairs have been devel￾oped by numerous research groups for this service. The NavChair [53.120] was one of the first to demon￾strate robust wall-following, door passage even with narrow doorways, and speed adaptation to people walking in front of the wheelchair, all using only short￾range ultrasonic and other sensors, but not vision. The Hephaestus [53.22] is a next-generation system made specifically as a commercial accessory for a variety of wheelchair brands, tapping into the joystick con￾troller and power system. The Wheelseley [53.121] and KARES [53.20] robots have explored similar func￾tionality using a vision system for scene analysis and way-finding. Mobility Aids: Walking Assistance Systems A third type of mobile robot for stability assistance has the particularity that it is underactuated and has similar￾ity with a co-bot in that the wheels are not driven, but are actively steered and braked (Fig. 53.6). The Pam￾Aid [53.122] looks like a closed-front walker on wheels and has bicycle-type handlebars. The person walking be￾hind the device turns the handlebars, causing the wheels to turn in the correct direction. If the ultrasonic sen￾sors detect an obstacle in front of it, the brakes prevent the user and device from colliding with it. The Care￾O-bot (see before), designed originally as a mobile autonomous robot of approximately human size, has a similar set of handlebars to Pam-Aid so it can be used as a smart walker. The larger mass of the Care-O-bot, however, requires it to be motorized. Cognitive Aids There has recently been increased interest in using robots as motivational and educational agents during rehabil￾itation therapy. This approach typically involves small, pet-like, toy-like, approachable devices that do not phys￾ically interact with the patient, but exist primarily to engage the patient in an affective way that promotes per￾sonal health, growth and interaction. For example, the Part F 53.3