Proposal of an Embodied Airbag-Pressure-Based Control Interface for Inflatable Personal Mobility Devices

Abstract

The demand for personal mobility devices (PMDs) has increased, prompting studies on various control interfaces such as joysticks and handlebars. However, these interfaces remain external to the PMD, and no system has been developed in which the PMD itself functions as the interface. This study proposes an interface that measures and controls the internal air pressure of an inflatable PMD, enabling the system to recognize operator inputs, such as pressing, leaning, or pushing, directly from the PMD body. The system adjusts air pressure according to the operator's estimated weight, allowing operation with minimal force, while continuous speed control is realized through press, lean, and double-push inputs. Experimental results demonstrated that translational and angular speeds could be controlled through embodied body movements, and filter processing effectively mitigated the influence of air pressure fluctuations caused by uneven terrain, ensuring stable operation. Tests conducted on indoor and outdoor courses, including obstacles and uneven surfaces, showed operability comparable to a joystick, though narrower paths required more time to navigate. This study contributes a novel embodied air-pressure-based control paradigm that directly integrates the interface into the PMD itself.