An audio-enabled smart wheelchair

Abstract

Wheelchairs are crucial for people with physical disabilities, but traditional manual handling can be challenging or impossible for those without hands or with age-related limitations. To address this, a voice-controlled wheelchair has been developed using Arduino and a voice recognition module. This system identifies spoken commands and matches them with actions predefined for the chair’s motion. By converting voice commands into digital signals, the wheelchair responds accordingly. Through simple voice prompts, the wheelchair can navigate various directions effectively, enhancing mobility and comfort. This innovation empowers people who struggle with manually hand-controlling the wheelchair. However, current commands have been programmed in English. Future works should focus on customizing this innovation to respond to local languages such as Luganda, Swahili, and Luo, among others.