Aabentoft is the distributor within EU of Ability Drive from Tolt Technologies.
Control Your Electric Wheelchair with Your Eyes
With virtual buttons on your eye-tracking computer, you gain full control over driving and seat functions.
Control Your Electric Wheelchair with Your Eyes
Ability Drive from Tolt Technologies is a driving interface that allows electric wheelchair users to operate an electric wheelchair using their eyes. By utilizing virtual buttons on an eye-tracking computer and eye-tracking technology, it provides electric wheelchair users who are unable to use a joystick the ability to fully control both driving and seat functions.
Ability Drive ®
The Ability Drive app runs on a tablet computer with an eye-tracking camera or on an eye-controlled communication device.
The Ability Drive app displays a number of virtual buttons on the screen, which can be arranged in various ways.
The virtual buttons are overlaid on the image from the forward-facing camera, ensuring that the screen does not obstruct the view.
The eye-tracking camera and the Ability Drive app detect which of the virtual buttons the eyes are focused on, sending directional movement commands to the Ability Drive interface, causing the electric wheelchair to move.
If the stop button is focused on, if the user looks away from the computer, if the eyes are closed, or if the eye-tracking camera loses connection with the eyes, the movement of the electric wheelchair stops.
CE marked in Compliance with MDR
Ability Drive is a Class 1 medical device and complies with the requirements of the EU Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR).
The regulation helps ensure patient safety, meaning that the device is continually evaluated and documented to confirm that it functions as intended and that the benefits of its use outweigh any potential risks. This also involves monitoring the device’s safety and performance after it has been placed on the market.
See Ability Drive ® in action
How to get started with Ability Drive ®
Ability Drive consists of an interface including software (the Ability Drive app) and the necessary cables.
Ability Drive requires installation and training by authorized technicians, who will also perform a series of tests to ensure patient safety.
Control of Seat Functions
With Ability Drive, users can also control their own seat functions.
The mode button provides access to the various menus in the wheelchair’s control system. When selected, it toggles between menus, typically including driving, speed settings, and seat functions.
When the electric wheelchair is in the seat functions menu, the user can select different seat functions by using the arrows on the screen to move right or left. The selected seat function is then activated by using the forward or reverse arrows.
If you’re only interested in operating the wheelchair’s seat functions and do not need to control the movement of the electric wheelchair, please contact us for a solution.
How to Stop Movement with Ability Drive ®
With Ability Drive, there are several ways to stop movement during operation. As a general rule, the wheelchair will only continue moving as long as the gaze remains focused on one of the driving arrows.
Additionally, Ability Drive will stop movement if the stop button is focused on, which is useful if you want to keep your gaze on the screen to look ahead.
Movement will also stop if you look away from the computer or if your eyes are closed.
Finally, the electric wheelchair will cease all movement if the eye-tracking camera loses connection with your eyes.
If you need a way to remotely force a stop of the wheelchair’s movement, it is possible to add a remote emergency stop. This feature allows caregivers or support personnel to halt the movement from a distance. The remote emergency stop can also serve as a temporary safeguard during a trial period.
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