A novel design of the intelligent stair-climbing wheelchair

In this paper, a new design of an intelligent stairclimbing Transformable wheelchair (TW) is introduced. It has two major characteristics compared to the existing ones including the weight-space efficiency and safety. The TW can be applied to situations on a flat surface and climb stairs by simply switching the modes. This makes sure that those functions could be realized by one single device which means the total weight or space of the wheelchair can be potentially reduced. Besides, the transformable wheel design liberates the wheelchair from using friction to have a proper grip on the stairs owing to the geometry of the transformable wheels, which helps decrease the chance of failure caused by the slippery surface. Furthermore, by incorporating the stand-up assistance system to the TW, it allows the back of the seat to tilt forward with the rising seat, which improves the ease for the user to stand up. This new design of the intelligent stair-climbing wheelchair could help improve the living conditions of patients in need and also provide a new possibility to overcome barriers like stairs in the common area.