Sharma Vinod, Simpson Richard C, LoPresti Edmund F, Schmeler Mark
Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
J Rehabil Res Dev. 2012;49(1):35-50. doi: 10.1682/jrrd.2010.03.0022.
Nonambulatory, visually impaired individuals mostly rely on caregivers for their day-to-day mobility needs. The Drive-Safe System (DSS) is a modular, semiautonomous smart wheelchair system aimed at providing independent mobility to people with visual and mobility impairments. In this project, clinical evaluation of the DSS was performed in a controlled laboratory setting with individuals who have visual impairment but no mobility impairment. Their performance using DSS was compared with their performance using a standard cane for navigation assistance. Participants rated their subjective appraisal of the DSS by using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index inventory. DSS significantly reduced the number and severity of collisions compared with using a cane alone and without increasing the time required to complete the task. Users rated DSS favorably; they experienced less physical demand when using the DSS, but did not feel any difference in perceived effort, mental demand, and level of frustration when using the DSS alone or along with a cane in comparison with using a cane alone. These findings suggest that the DSS can be a safe, reliable, and easy-to-learn and operate independent mobility solution for visually impaired wheelchair users.
行动不便的视力障碍者在日常出行方面大多依赖护理人员。Drive-Safe系统（DSS）是一种模块化的半自主智能轮椅系统，旨在为视力和行动能力受损者提供独立出行能力。在本项目中，DSS在受控实验室环境中对视力障碍但无行动能力障碍的个体进行了临床评估。将他们使用DSS的表现与使用标准手杖进行导航辅助的表现进行了比较。参与者通过使用美国国家航空航天局任务负荷指数量表对DSS进行主观评价。与单独使用手杖相比，DSS显著减少了碰撞的次数和严重程度，且未增加完成任务所需的时间。用户对DSS评价良好；他们使用DSS时身体需求较小，但与单独使用手杖相比，单独使用DSS或与手杖一起使用时，在感知努力、精神需求和沮丧程度方面没有感觉到任何差异。这些发现表明，DSS对于视力障碍轮椅使用者而言可以是一种安全、可靠且易于学习和操作的独立出行解决方案。
