Hoobox Robotics and Intel Unveil the World’s First AI-Powered Wheelchair- Wheelie 7

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is currently booming as it is being deployed or experimented in every sector. In the recent development, a new AI-powered wheelchair was created jointly by HOOBOX Robotics, a Brazilian Robotics Company and Intel.

Dubbed as Wheelie 7, the AI-powered wheelchair will help people to operate it by making simple facial expressions. Other than its greater mobility, the wheelchair is equipped with a camera, and a simple body sensor, allowing the users to have full control over it. With that, the users can choose their desired locations.

The time required to install Wheelie 7 is just seven minutes.  The AI-powered wheelchair has three important functions for the users, i.e. moving forward, stopping and turning.Its sensors are powered by 3D Intel^® RealSense™ Depth Camera SR300 which enables the users to stream AI algorithm processed data in real time to operate the chair.

As per the company, in America, till now, more than 60 people have tested the new AI-powered wheelchair, where the majority of the users are quadriplegics, senior citizens and people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

According to Paulo Pinheiro, co-founder and CEO of HOOBOX Robotics, Wheelie7, operated by facial expressions, is the first ever wheelchair that the company has ever produced. The development required accuracy and precision and would not have been possible without Intel’s technology. 

In order to boost its inferencing of facial recognition software, HOOBOX Robotics utilizes processors that are powered by Intel.