Development and Evaluation of a Low-cost Wheelchair Simulator for the Haptic Rendering of Virtual Road Conditions
- Many streets and buildings are not accessible for wheelchair users, which impedes a major challenge for their mobility. Often, such challenges can be considered during the planning stage, which is why it is important to include this user group in the planning process. Ideally, these planning efforts should also be made visually and haptically navigable using Virtual Reality (VR) technology to allow for better imagination, accurate conclusions, and awareness of wheelchair users. This work optimizes previous approaches so that different roadway conditions can be made haptically perceptible. The proposed prototype provides a non-contact and adjustable brake for simulating inclined planes, which can be adjusted depending on personal and environmental parameters. In addition, it can simulate roads such as cobblestones using a tactile transducer. The individually optimized components were combined into a complete VR system and integrated into a virtual environment for evaluation. The qualitative and quantitative results showed thatMany streets and buildings are not accessible for wheelchair users, which impedes a major challenge for their mobility. Often, such challenges can be considered during the planning stage, which is why it is important to include this user group in the planning process. Ideally, these planning efforts should also be made visually and haptically navigable using Virtual Reality (VR) technology to allow for better imagination, accurate conclusions, and awareness of wheelchair users. This work optimizes previous approaches so that different roadway conditions can be made haptically perceptible. The proposed prototype provides a non-contact and adjustable brake for simulating inclined planes, which can be adjusted depending on personal and environmental parameters. In addition, it can simulate roads such as cobblestones using a tactile transducer. The individually optimized components were combined into a complete VR system and integrated into a virtual environment for evaluation. The qualitative and quantitative results showed that realistic simulation is possible, but further development steps towards holistic and dissemination-capable hardware and software are needed. To this end, our contribution aims to improve the long-term involvement of wheelchair users in planning processes and increase awareness of their mobility situation.…

