The design of an autonomous vehicle for the disabled

The first steps in the design and construction of an autonomous vehicle for the physically and sensory disabled are described. The vehicle is basically a self-navigating wheelchair, which is designed to transport a person to a desired room within an office building given only the destination room number. The wheelchair has been equipped with an on-board microcomputer, a digital camera, and a scanning ultrasonic rangefinder. The goal of the project is to develop a vehicle that can operate without human intervention within a crowded environment with little or no impact on the building or its inhabitants. An overview of the project objectives and a detailed description of the components that are currently working are presented.