A hand gesture based virtual interface for wheelchair control (original) (raw)

2003, Proceedings 2003 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM 2003)

Abstract

A reliable system that uses hand gestures to control a wheelchair is presented. The control actions are generated by gestures of a bare or gloved hand. The gestures are recognized and identified in a scale, position, orientation and skin color independent manner. Yet the position and orientation of the hand gesture for motion control are used for speed and steering angle control. The interface works equally well with either of the hands and can be interchanged anytime without any changes to the system. The hand gestures are organized in a hierarchy taking into account the ergonomics, reliability of identification and the mode of operation. The modes of operation are; the manual mode and the map mode. The results presented show the behavior of the wheelchair in response to manual and map mode hand gesture commands. The system has been put to test by persons of different hand shapes and proved to be extremely reliable.

Key takeaways

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  1. The system enables wheelchair control through hand gestures, eliminating mechanical controls.
  2. It recognizes 14 reliable hand gestures, independent of hand position and skin color.
  3. Gestures are categorized by priority, with braking as the highest priority action.
  4. The interface operates in manual and map modes, enhancing usability for users with limited mobility.
  5. Experimental results show successful control by ten operators, demonstrating system reliability and user-friendliness.

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References (8)

  1. T. Takahashi and F. Kishio, A Hand Gesture Recognition Method and Its Application, Systems and Computers in Japan, Vol. 23, No. 3, 1992
  2. J. Davis and M. Shah, Visual Gesture Recognition, IEE Proc.-Vis. Image Signal Process, Vol. 141, No. 2, April (1994)
  3. C. C. Lien and C. L. Huang, The Model-Based Dy- namic Hand Posture Identijication Using Genetic Algorithm, Machine Vision and Application, Vol. 11, pp. 107-121, 1999
  4. C. Maggioni, Gesture Computer -New wasys of Operating a Computer, International Workshop on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition, Zurich, 1995
  5. U. Brockl-Fox, Real-Time 3-0 Interaction with up to 16 Degrees of Freedom from Monocular Video Image Flows, International Workshop on Auto- matic Face and Gesture Recognition, Zurich, 1995
  6. E. Hunter, J. Schlenzig and R. Jain, Posture Esti- mation in Reduced-Model Gesture Input Systems, International Workshop on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition, Zurich, 1995
  7. V. Pavlovic, R. Sharma and T. Huang, Vi- sual Interpretation of Hand Gestures for Human- Computer Interaction: A Review, IEEE Transac- tions on PAMI, Vol. 19, No. 7, 1997
  8. J.G Leu, Computing a Shape's Moments from its Boundary, Pattern Recognition, Vol. 24, No. 10, 1991 REFERENCES [l] R. S. Rao, K. Conn, S. H. Jung, J. Katupitiya,

FAQs

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What unique advantages does the gesture control interface provide over traditional wheelchair controls?add

The gesture control interface eliminates physical controls, allowing users with limited dexterity to operate a wheelchair effortlessly. This system relies solely on hand gestures, making it more inclusive than traditional joysticks and buttons.

How were hand gestures selected for effective wheelchair control?add

Out of an initial 40 hand gestures tested, 14 were selected based on distinct geometric properties and ease of formation. Gesture identification utilized eight non-dimensional parameters to ensure reliability and user comfort.

What are the key geometric properties used for hand gesture recognition?add

The study primarily utilizes the moment of area, perimeter, and area of the hand's image for recognition. Specifically, the ratio of P4 to Imax was identified as the most significant parameter in the identification process.

How does the gesture recognition system ensure usability for users with varying abilities?add

The gesture recognition system operates independently of hand orientation and skin color by utilizing a back-lit surface. Additionally, the prioritization of gestures based on effort required ensures accessibility for users with reduced agility.

What methods were employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the gesture control system?add

The system was tested by ten operators controlling a mobile robotic vehicle, successfully demonstrating manual and map mode functions. Performance data, including steering angles and positional accuracy, were collected to validate the interface's efficacy.