Affiliations: [a] School of Applied Technical Sciences, German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan | [b] School of Applied Medical Sciences, German Jordanian University, Amman, Jordan
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Eyad Hamad, School of Applied Medical Sciences, German Jordanian University, P. O. Box: 35247, Amman 11180, Jordan. Tel.: +962 6 4294433; E-mail:eyad.hamad@gju.edu.jo
Abstract: This paper presents the employment of LEGO Mindstorms NXT robotics as core
component of low cost multidisciplinary platform for assisting elderly and
visually impaired people.
LEGO Mindstorms system offers a plug-and-play programmable robotics toolkit,
incorporating construction guides, microcontrollers and sensors, all
connected via a comprehensive programming language. It facilitates, without
special training and at low cost, the use of such device for interpersonal
communication and for handling multiple tasks required for elderly and
visually impaired people in-need.
The research project provides a model for larger-scale implementation,
tackling the issues of creating additional functions in order to assist
people in-need. The new functions were built and programmed using MATLAB
through a user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). Power consumption
problem, besides the integration of WiFi connection has been resolved,
incorporating GPS application on smart phones enhanced the guiding and
tracking functions.
We believe that developing and expanding the system to encompass a range of
applications beyond the initial design schematics to ease conducting a
limited number of pre-described protocols.
However, the beneficiaries for the proposed research would be limited to
elderly people who require assistance within their household as
assistive-robot to facilitate a low-cost solution for a highly demanding
health circumstance.
