ATDev Provides Update on Autonomous Wheelchair Development

ATDev, based in Orange, California, is developing an autonomous wheelchair equipped with a robotic arm to assist power wheelchair users in daily tasks. The wheelchair is part of the Robotic Assistive Mobility and Manipulation Platform (RAMMP), an ARPA-H-funded program led by the University of Pittsburgh. ATDev aims to leverage robotics to provide more independence for users with mobility challenges.

Owen Kent, founder and chief marketing officer of ATDev, has been a power wheelchair user for over 30 years. He expressed frustration that wheelchair technology has lagged behind other fields, noting that modern phones have more computing power than any wheelchair. Kent emphasized that the goal is to turn the wheelchair into a supportive daytime companion, helping with eating, drinking, opening doors, and turning on lights. Teleoperation features are also planned, allowing users to control the chair from bed to fetch a drink from the refrigerator.

RAMMP stands for Robotic Assistive Mobility and Manipulation Platform, an ARPA-H-funded program aimed at using robotics, AI, and smart mobility to empower people with mobility issues. ATDev is an industry partner focusing exclusively on autonomous wheelchairs. Todd Roberts, co-founder and CEO, described the wheelchair as a stable mobile robotic base with a sensorized platform and a robotic arm. He acknowledged that the seating side of the industry has advanced with complex molds, but ATDev plans to redesign the rest from scratch, replacing outdated power electronics and software architecture.

Safety is a major concern when developing robots for users with partial or full paralysis. Roberts noted that robotic manipulation is improving, but the reliability and repeatability required for tasks like feeding a paralyzed user are much higher than for industrial applications. The shared autonomy model allows the user to provide corrective input if the chair makes a wrong decision. The chair handles micro-adjustments while the user decides the path. Kent stated that users want to decide how much autonomy they have at any moment, calling this the 'spectrum of autonomy,' ranging from full autonomy to individual motor control. ATDev plans to implement a federated learning approach, allowing chairs to learn from each other and share knowledge via an app store.

Kent highlighted the large demand as baby boomers age, with 3.5 million power wheelchair users in the U.S. However, gaining regulatory approval and insurance reimbursement is challenging. Roberts noted that while a regulatory roadmap exists for existing wheelchairs, none exists for autonomous ones, so ATDev will work with regulators to adapt requirements. RAMMP's federal status provides direct access to ARPA-H and helps facilitate conversations with the FDA.

ATDev is collaborating with Meta to apply its AI models to the chairs, particularly for rapid environment segmentation. The company is open-sourcing much of its software to encourage collaboration. ATDev expects to have an FDA-regulated, insurance-reimbursable chair within five years, centering development around user-led design. Many researchers and principal investigators are wheelchair users themselves, ensuring the voice of the end user is prominent.

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This article originally appeared on The Robot Report.