Page 43 - Mobility Management, July/August 2021

To meet the complex demands of collision avoidance and drop-off protection for power wheelchairs, LUCI has developed an array of sensors that provide 360-degree coverage, both in daytime and at night.
LUCI’s patented system combines stereo vision, infrared projector, inertial measurement unit (IMU), ultrasonic and radar data into a single view of the world, enabling never-before-seen possibilities for power wheelchair riders. The sensor coverage is best illustrated from a bird’s- eye view. In the image above:
• light blue represents coverage by the stereo vision cameras,
• purple represents radar coverage and
• green represents ultrasonic sensor coverage.
The combination of sensors, fused into one map of the world maximizes coverage and mitigates interference sources to give LUCI the best chance of avoiding the highest number of collisions and drop-offs possible.
We developed a cutting-edge mmWave radar and multiple custom ultrasonic sensors to keep users safe.
Sensor
Why it is cool
Stereo vision camera with infrared projector
These sensors perceive depth like the human eye does. They give LUCI a depth value to every pixel in an image. Thanks to the infrared projectors (which LUCI controls intelligently) LUCI can still see in the dark! LUCI uses these sensors to map the ground and look for potential collisions.
mmWave Radar
This is the first FCC-certified mmWave radar of its type used outside of military or automotive environments. Radar uses electromagnetic waves to perceive objects and movement. Radar remains effective in rain, fog, and operates equally well day or night. It is the size of a business card but can see things over 6-meters away!
Custom Ultrasonic
Our ultrasonic sensors see things that a typical ultrasonic sensor can’t, and they do it in environments with other ultrasonic noise too.
IMU
LUCI’s IMU modules use accelerometers and gyroscopes to figure out how the wheelchair is moving. Since current power wheelchairs don’t really have modern control systems, we use our own IMU’s to try to do amazing things anyway.
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LUCI® SAFETY REPORT