Power Wheelchair

A wheelchair propelled by an electric motor rather than manual pushing, essential for people with severe motor disabilities who lack the upper body strength or dexterity to operate a manual wheelchair. Power wheelchairs are typically controlled through joysticks, but alternative input methods — including head arrays, sip-and-puff switches, chin controls, and eye-gaze tracking — are available for users who cannot operate a joystick. The accessibility of power wheelchair interfaces is critical because they directly determine a user's ability to move independently. Research continues to explore novel control methods including eye tracking, brain-computer interfaces, and autonomous navigation assistance to expand access for people with the most severe motor limitations.