ATDev Advances Autonomous Wheelchair Development

The development of autonomous wheelchairs is underway at Assistive Technology Development Inc., also known as ATDev. The company aims to use robotics to give powered wheelchair users more independence and freedom in their lives. With millions of powered wheelchair users in the U.S., ATDev is part of the Robotic Assistive Mobility and Manipulation Platform, a program funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.

## Introduction to ATDev's Autonomous Wheelchair ATDev's founder and chief marketing officer, Owen Kent, has been a power wheelchair user for over 30 years and has been frustrated by the lack of advancement in wheelchair technology. The company is developing a modern power wheelchair with a coordinated robotic arm that can take on reaching and lifting tasks that the user cannot handle on their own. The wheelchair is designed to support people during their daytime, helping them with eating and drinking, and using the robotic arm to open doors and turn on lights.

## The RAMMP Program The Robotic Assistive Mobility and Manipulation Platform is a program led by the University of Pittsburgh that aims to use robotics, AI, and smart mobility to empower people with mobility issues to live more independently. ATDev is an industry partner in the RAMMP consortium, focusing specifically on creating autonomous wheelchairs. The company plans to redesign the wheelchair from scratch, starting with the electronics and software architecture, which have not allowed for innovation in this space.

## Challenges in Developing Autonomous Wheelchairs Developing robots for vulnerable populations provides challenges, particularly when it comes to safety. ATDev's wheelchair does not need the same level of autonomy as an autonomous mobile robot or humanoid robot, but it still requires a high level of reliability and repeatability. The company is working on a concept called the spectrum of autonomy, which allows users to decide moment to moment how much autonomy they have. The chair is in charge of micro-adjustments while the user decides the path.

## Future Plans for ATDev ATDev hopes to build a community of users who can share their knowledge with one another. The company is planning a federated learning approach, which will allow the chairs to learn from each other. ATDev is also working with Meta to apply the company's AI models to its chairs. The company is still in the early research and development stage, but it expects to achieve FDA-regulated, insurance-reimbursable chairs within the next five years. The end users are at the center of the development process, with many of the researchers and principal investigators being wheelchair users themselves.