Mobility impairment significantly affects the independence and quality of life of elderly individuals and people with physical disabilities. Conventional wheelchairs require manual assistance and offer limited safety and monitoring features. Recent advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) have enabled the development of smart wheelchairs that integrate autonomous navigation, obstacle detection, and health monitoring. This paper presents the design and implementation of an IoT-based smart wheelchair that assists users through obstacle avoidance, remote monitoring, and emergency alert generation. The system integrates ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection, an ESP32 microcontroller for processing and communication, and IoT connectivity for real-time monitoring via a mobile application. Health parameters and emergency alerts are transmitted wirelessly to caregivers. Experimental results demonstrate reliable navigation, low-latency communication, and improved user safety. The proposed system is cost-effective, scalable, and suitable for indoor and semi-outdoor environments, making it a practical solution for assisted mobility applications. This work highlights the potential of IoT technology in improving public health protection and sustainable development aligned with the Government of India guidelines.
Dsouza et al. (Thu,) studied this question.