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Individuals with quadriplegia need the ability to independently control the speed and direction of their electrically powered wheelchairs. The VA RR&D developed Ultrasonic Head Control Unit is an add-on interface for wheelchairs that provides a non-contact alternative to chin control for this population. Two ultrasonic transducers calculate the user's head position. Tilting the head forward-backward and left-right controls the wheelchair's movements. Twenty subjects with spinal cord dysfunction ranging from C3 to C6 were recruited from VA Medical Centers to evaluate four prototypes. The results from this study are being used to prepare the unit for commercial availability. Beyond this wheelchair control application, the Ultrasonic Head Control unit can provide computer mouse control.
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