Robot research to boost independence

A group of British and Indian researchers have teamed up to investigate how intelligent robotic devices can be developed to help people with severe disabilities achieve greater independence.

The three-year, £145,000 project involves researchers from the University of Ulster’s Intelligent Systems Research Centre on its Magee campus in Londonderry, and scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology.

It is jointly funded by the Indian and UK Governments under the prestigious UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI).

The main project objectives are to investigate:

– a brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows a disabled person to control a smart wheelchair and robotic manipulator combination by thinking;

– a visual tracking system for operating the wheelchair as an automated guided vehicle (AGV) to provide mobility; and

– the development of a robotic arm for the natural execution of actions desired by the disabled user.