Driving TrainerSimulator for Quadriplegics

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Driving Trainer/Simulator for Quadriplegics

• Team
• Anna K. Leal
• Justin M. Dodson
• Richard W. Ayer III

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• Special Thanks To
• Mentor Dr. David Gray
• Dr. Joseph Klaesner
• Occupational Therapy Student Kim Hannon

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What is Quadriplegia?

• Involves loss of movement and sensation in all
  four limbs
• Result of spinal cord injury occurring at the C8
  vertebrate or above
• The higher the level of the injury, the greater
  the loss of movement and bodily functions

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Why Design a Simulator?

• Freedom
• Muscle strength
• Provides safe, off-the-road training
• Economic

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Design Requirements

• Safe
• Simulates cockpit of converted vehicle
• Simulates real driving
• Steering wheel resistance
• Pedal resistance

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Design Requirements (cont)

• Provides exercise
• Compatible with needs of C6-C8 quadriplegic
  persons
• Interfaces with video game
• Cost lt1500
• Easy to use
• Comfortable

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Design Requirements (cont 2)

• Durable
• Secure attachments
• Easy installation
• Reasonable size

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Design Requirements Steering Wheel Attachment

• Safe
• Provides grip
• Cost effective
• Telescoping
• Secures wrist
• One size fits all
• Easy to attach

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Design Requirements Resistance In Steering Wheel

• Safe
• Comparable to real driving
• Force-feedback based on angle of wheel and
  velocity of vehicle
• Can interface with video game directly

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Existing Solutions Steering Wheel Control

• Steering knob
• Tri-pin

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Existing Solutions Steering Wheel Control
(cont 1)

• Steering cuff

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Existing Solutions Steering Wheel Control
(cont 2)

• Palm grip
• Single pin

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Existing Solutions Steering Wheel Control
(cont 3)

• The EMC (Electronic Mobility Controls) DS-2000
  Digital Steering System
• Pros Small range of motion required to operate,
  steering effort reduced (8-10 in-oz), can be
  placed anywhere in vehicle
• Cons High cost, must replace steering wheel,
  driver must be skilled to operate controls

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Existing Solutions Steering Control - EMC
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Existing Solutions Steering Wheel Control
(cont 4)

• The EMC Digidrive II Digital Joystick Driving
  System
• Pros Speed sensitive steering, audio and video
  feedback
• Cons Cost, steering wheel replaced

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Existing Solutions Steering Wheel Control
(cont 5)

• The Drive-Master Horizontal Steering Column
• Pros Eliminates the need for arm-lifting
  motion, Completely adjustable and telescopes to
  meet driver comfort needs
• Cons Steering wheel replaced, inconvenient and
  costly

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Existing Solutions Drivemaster Steering Column
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Existing Solutions Pedal Control

• The EMC EGB II Electronic Gas and Brake System
• Pros Effective, low effort system, provides
  audio and video feedback
• Cons Cost, does not provide enough physical
  exercise

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Existing Solutions Driving Simulator System

• The Faros F300 (Patent 5,341,680)
• Pros Realistic, versatile
• Cons Cost

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Existing Solutions Driving Simulator System
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Existing Solutions Driving Simulator

• Dr. Grays OT Simulator
• Pros Magnetic resistance in steering wheel
• Cons Inaccurate steering wheel resistance, lack
  of video game feedback, no pedal resistance

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Existing Solutions Driving Simulator
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Patent Search

• Disabled Driver Assessment System (5,341,680)
• Method and Apparatus for Rehabilitation
• of Disabled Limbs (4,471,957)
• Hand Control for Pedals (5,025,905)
• Hand Operated Controls for Motor Vehicles
  (4,438,835)

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Literature Search

• Flexures Elements of Elastic Mechanisms. Stuart
  T. Smith. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers.
  2000
• Giant Magneto-Resistance Devices E. Hirota, H.
  Sakakima, K. Inomata. Berlin. 2002

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Web Search

• Spinal Cord Injury
• www.spinalcord.org
• www.spinalcord.uab.edu
• www.nlm.nih.gov/medline/spinalcordinjuries.html
• Mobility Equipment/Vendors
• www.unitedaccess.org
• www.ican.com
• www.wheelchairvehicles.com/SteeringDevices.html

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Web Search

• www.drivemaster.net
• www.accessibilityspecialties.com
• www.access-ind.com/equip/adrive/steer.htm
• www.csun.edu/cod/conf/1994/proceedings
• www.faros.com

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Design Alternatives Considered Steering Control

• Design Choices
• Tri-pin
• Palm grip
• Steering knob (spinner knob)

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Design Alternatives Considered Steering Control
- Some Research

• Muscle data illustrates an absence of control of
  wrist flexion and hand movement in a person with
  level C6 spinal cord injury
• Limited grasp for level C6-C7 quadriplegics

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Analysis Muscle Data

• Functional muscles after spinal cord injury
• Level C6
• 1. Patterns of weakness
• a. Absence of
• i. wrist flexion (wrist can be flexed, but
  individual cannot control this motion)
• ii. elbow extension
• iii. hand movement
• iv. trunk and lower extremity movement

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Analysis Muscle Data

• Level C7-8
• 1. Patterns of weakness
• a. Paralysis of trunk and lower extremities
• b. Limited grasp

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Analysis Pugh Chart for Steering Control
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Design Alternatives Considered Steering Control

• Choice?
• Tri-pin
• Why?
• widespread use of the tri-pin
• increased wrist control
• compensates for weak tensor control

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Design Alternatives Considered Method of
Resistance for Pedals

• Graded resistance based on depression of pedal
• Design Choices
• Springs
• Rubber
• Hydraulics

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Schedule
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Planned Design Approach

• Select Steering Wheel Attachment
• Design for brake/gas pedal resistance
• Design for steering wheel resistance
• Technical Drawings of pedal and steering design
• Circuitry
• Software
• Force-feedback

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Team Responsibilities

• Patent/Literary Searches Anna and Justin
• Contact Vendors Justin
• Webpage Richard
• Software Richard
• Circuit design all
• Resistance
• Steering wheel all
• Brake/gas pedals all
• Drawings
• Steering wheel Anna
• Brake/gas pedals Justin

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ENDThank You!