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World's Lightest Next-generation Hospital Wheelchair Robot Development Project
Developing next-generation hospital wheelchair based on secondary battery and AGV technologies
Yashima Dengyo, Co., Ltd.
Overview
Yashima Dengyo develops and manufactures products using secondary batteries (rechargeable batteries) and optical semiconductors (LEDs). Originally a control equipment trading company, it began developing factory automation systems and control equipment as it strived to respond to the broad needs of its customers.
In 2007, the company was selected for "From Osaka! Subsidized Project for the Practical Application of Next-Generation Robots" of Osaka City and Robot Laboratory. The selected project was the "World's Lightest Next-generation Hospital Wheelchair Robot Development Project." This involved the development of a robot wheelchair for hospitals that is fitted with lightweight batteries, and the development of the control system for this wheelchair. The project was also sponsored by national universities and research and demonstration experiments were conducted until March, 2008. This is a report of those results.
Development Background
Currently, using wheelchairs with patients in hospitals frequently requires the support of an assistant. Because wheelchairs typically weigh more than 20kg, patients struggle to operate them without assistance. This increases the burden on the hospital as well since hospital staff must provide assistance. While the use of Electric wheelchairs is starting to spread, these wheelchairs are even heavier and when considering safety while in motion, support is again required. In addition to this situation, President Hashizume of Yashima Dengyo himself experienced difficulty moving around when he was hospitalized, leading to the launch of this research.
Key Development Points
Reducing weight to the world's smallest class At the time of this report, the wheelchair robot developed through several prototypes has reached the target weight of less than 8kg for the (folding) body alone. Even when adding the power unit, the total weight is only 16kg. This is a weight that enables even a woman to easily load or unload the wheelchair to or from a vehicle. When considering that even lightweight electric wheelchairs generally weigh more than 20kg, the difference is clear. Such a wheelchair is made possible by such advances as a newly developed, high efficiency inverter that enables the motor to be reduced in size and increased in power, and the development of a long life secondary battery that can run for 12 hours on a single charge.
Automatic travel in hospitals by following magnetic tape lines
Yashima Dengyo's electric wheelchair includes sensor technology that reads magnetic fields near its installed location, enabling the wheelchair to automatically travel along magnetic tape strips installed on the hospital floors. A touch panel displays the destinations within the hospital (internal medicine / surgery, etc.) enabling wheelchair users to select to travel to the desired destination with a just a touch of the finger. Of course, the wheelchair can be also directly controlled by the user and can also be used like a regular wheelchair that is hand-pushed by an assistant.
R&D of next-generation technologies in collaboration with industry and academia
As previously mentioned, development of this project was performed in collaboration with national university corporations. For instance, the company is developing artificial intelligence technologies together with Wakayama University that could be adapted to wheelchair robots. Once achieved, this technology would enable a wheelchair robot to avoid obstacles or adjust its own speed or travel more smoothly by learning the travel route. Other development is proceeding in parallel together with other project participants, and further developments in functionality are expected.
Improvements for the future
Having achieved the goal of developing a lightweight electric wheelchair, the company is currently planning for volume manufacture of this electric wheelchair. There are plans to conduct demonstration experiments of the latest model at Wakayama Medical University from July to August, 2008. We asked Mr. Hashizume of Yashima Dengyo about goals and issues for the future:
"The problem of how to handle elevators must be resolved before electric wheelchair robots can be commercialized for the future. Under current Japanese law, the wheelchair robot cannot be programmed to control elevator buttons wirelessly. Since the majority of large hospitals in Japan are tall buildings, the ability to use elevators is essential for freely moving around in hospitals. For this reason, safety standards will be needed that take into account the fact that not only people but robots will be using elevators as well. Since many hospitals overseas are only a single story and are situated on a large campus, it may be necessary to first develop actual practical applications overseas and then promote these back in Japan."
For more information please contact:
Yashima Dengyo, Co., Ltd.
4-13-3 Nakamoto, Higashinari-ku, Osaka City
Phone: +81-6-6972-3045
Website: http://www.dlgbattery-japan.com
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