Abstract

Navigating a powered wheelchair and avoiding collisions with static objects and other people is often a daunting task for new wheelchair users. It takes time and practice to become a competent driver and typically there is no special training available. We present a cost-effective virtual reality (VR) application that takes advantage of consumer level VR hardware such as the Oculus Rift head mounted display.

This paper reviews previous work that has used virtual environments technology for wheelchair simulation. We then describe the implementation of our own system and the first validation study carried out on the application using thirty three able bodied volunteers. The study results indicate that a significant improvement in driving skills can be obtained from the use of VR. We can thus improve wheelchair driving skills whilst avoiding the risks inherent to training in the real world. However, the occurrence of cybersickness is an inherent problem in this application that will need to be addressed.