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Together with KLAXON MOBILITY GmbH, a research team from the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has developed an autonomous wheelchair solution that offers passengers with limited mobility a new level of independence and safety, while at the same time making airport processes significantly more efficient. In an initial test run under real conditions, the wheelchair impressed passengers and airport operators as well as the scientific community.
Whether for private holidays or business trips: More and more people are travelling by plane. Passenger numbers at many airports rise sharply, especially before the start of the travel season. As the volume of traffic increases, so does the need for support services - especially for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM). This growing demand poses increasing challenges for airports worldwide.
Scalable and efficient wheelchair solution A team at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), together with KLAXON MOBILITY GmbH, has now developed a pioneering answer to this challenge: an autonomous, electrically powered wheelchair that automatically follows a carer.
A clearly visible visual marker attached to the back enables the PRM assistant to be easily and clearly identified. This means that a single carer can guide and accompany several wheelchairs at the same time. This flexible assistance system for electric wheelchairs means that the airport infrastructure can remain completely untouched and there is no need for additional maps. "Our aim was to create a cost-efficient, modular and therefore scalable solution that can be easily integrated into existing PRM services and operated intuitively," explains Monika Riedl-Riedenstein, project manager and expert for assistance and autonomous systems at the AIT's Centre for Vision, Automation & Control.
More independence for people with limited mobilityEquipped with highly developed sensor technology, the wheelchair navigates autonomously and safely through the airport. It dynamically adapts its driving behaviour: It recognises obstacles, reacts to passers-by and its surroundings, brakes automatically, accelerates or swerves out of the way if necessary. For additional safety, the tag recognition system is combined with an acoustic alarm system: If the PRM carer leaves the defined communication radius between the tag and the wheelchair, a warning signal is automatically triggered.
The system was successfully tested at Vienna Airport and impressed both passengers and airport staff with its smooth and safe operation. The scientific community was also impressed by the AIT development. Aleksa Kostic, developer and programmer on the project, presented the AIT technology to an international audience of experts at the 11th International Conference on Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering (ICMRE). The AIT development was deservedly honoured for this outstanding achievement.
With this project, the partners have taken a significant step towards barrier-free mobility suitable for everyday use - a solution that is ready for international rollout.
AIT Center for Vision, Automation & Control:
ait.ac.at/vacKLAXON MOBILITY GmbH:
www.klaxon-klick.com/de/Flughafen Wien AG:
www.viennaairport.com