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Spinoff story
Voice Controlled Wheelchair
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Voice controlled wheelchair and its manipulator can pick up packages, open doors, turn a TV knob, and perform a variety of other functions. Chair responds to 35 one-word voice commands such as go, stop, down, right, etc. System is a voice command analyzer which utilizes a mini-computer. Commands are taught by patient repeating them a number of times; thereafter analyzer recognizes commands only in patient's particular speech pattern. Computer translates commands into electrical signals which activate appropriate motors and cause desired motion of chair or manipulator.