Citation

Kawashima T. J. Mech. Sci. Technol. 2009; 23(4): 974-979.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers)

DOI

10.1007/s12206-009-0324-5

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In Japan, lightweight and easy-to-fold baby carriages are commonly used because a parent has to hold both the baby and its carriage while ascending or descending a flight of stairs. Since families commuting by private automobiles are increasing, there is a demand for carriages with high functionality. In this study, an intelligent baby carriage equipped with an advanced electro-hybrid power assist system that uses in-wheel-type motors is experimentally developed. This system assists the parent in lifting the carriage onto a sidewalk by detecting the edge of the sidewalk using an ultrasonic distance sensor. The carriage also has the following features: a tilt control system that keeps the basket in a horizontal position even on a slope, and a heartbeat simulator that provides comfort to the baby in the basket by simulating the heartbeat of the parent. The effectiveness of the proposed carriage is confirmed by performing experiments. 2009 The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers and Springer-Verlag GmbH.

Language: en