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Thesis Hecht Steven.pdf (1.52 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Driving by Speaking: Natural Language Control of Robotic Wheelchairs

Hecht, Steven A
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1365158700

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Sciences (Engineering), Case Western Reserve University, EECS - Electrical Engineering.
While many people use electric wheelchairs to enhance their mobility, there are groups who cannot due to age, injury, or cognitive impairment. A voice-operated smart wheelchair would greatly enhance the self-mobility of these users. This thesis presents a method to parse natural language commands into useful robotic instructions as well as control methods to navigate in a priori known and novel environments. An agglomerative algorithm was developed that uses stemmatic processing to extract meaning from natural language commands. A method for creating a navigable graph from a simplified blueprint is introduced. A MATLAB simulation was created to simulate navigation in a novel building using sensory data obtained from a virtual LIDAR. The natural language navigation control algorithms have been tested for destination-based and landmark-based navigation and perform well on simple commands.
Gregory Lee, PhD (Advisor)
Francis Merat, PhD (Committee Member)
M. Cenk Cavusoglu, PhD (Committee Member)
82 p.
Robotics
Mobile Robotics; Cognitive Robotics; Natural Language Processing; Navigation; Simulation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hecht, S. A. (2013). Driving by Speaking: Natural Language Control of Robotic Wheelchairs [Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1365158700

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hecht, Steven. Driving by Speaking: Natural Language Control of Robotic Wheelchairs. 2013. Case Western Reserve University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1365158700.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hecht, Steven. "Driving by Speaking: Natural Language Control of Robotic Wheelchairs." Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1365158700

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1365158700
647
© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.