{"id":283,"date":"2025-07-11T10:30:54","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T14:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/cutheme-homepage\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T15:15:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T19:15:00","slug":"cutheme-homepage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/","title":{"rendered":"Project Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-max  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n                    \n                    \n            \n    <div class=\"cu-wideimage relative flex items-center justify-center mx-auto px-8 overflow-hidden md:px-16 rounded-xl not-prose  my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 bg-opacity-50 bg-cover bg-cu-black-50 py-24 md:py-28 lg:py-36 xl:py-48\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/2025\/07\/eng-software-768x336.jpg); background-position: 50% 50%;\">\n\n                    <div class=\"absolute top-0 w-full h-screen\" style=\"background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.600);\"><\/div>\n        \n        <div class=\"relative z-[2] max-w-4xl w-full flex flex-col items-center gap-2 cu-wideimage-image cu-zero-first-last\">\n            <header class=\"mx-auto mb-6 text-center text-white cu-pageheader cu-component-updated cu-pageheader--center md:mb-12\">\n\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold mb-2 text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] cu-pageheader--center text-center mx-auto after:left-px\">\n                        Project Summary\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                            <\/header>\n        <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    \n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-are-teleprepresence-devices\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are teleprepresence devices?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-400x533.jpg\" alt=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-16\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-400x533.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-160x213.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-240x320.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_Final_2-e1527200413778-360x480.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Telepresence devices use robotic platforms equipped with sensors and communication tools to execute tasks remotely.&nbsp;Commercially-available models typically offer limited mobility and interaction capabilities. Many lack a means of allowing the user to physically interact with the remote environment and are not designed to be accessible by people with disabilities, barring them from effectively using this up-coming technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-itad\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is iTAD?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Intelligent Telepresence Assistive Device (iTAD) is a robotic platform which facilitates&nbsp;<em>real-time<\/em>&nbsp;communications and&nbsp;<em>remote<\/em>&nbsp;interactions in a variety of application areas. iTAD aims to address&nbsp;<em>technological barriers&nbsp;<\/em>which can prevent people with disabilities from accessing the healthcare they need or&nbsp;<em>communicating\/interacting&nbsp;<\/em>with loved ones in independent living centres. iTAD can make healthcare more accessible by connecting remote medical professionals and patients, including those that are permanently or temporarily disabled, as well as assist nurses, other doctors and family members. In independent living facilities, iTAD can aid the elderly with different tasks such as walking, eating, administering medications, and remotely communicating with healthcare professionals. iTAD\u2019s robust design and versatility offers a cost-effective solution for addressing a variety of scenarios that help connect individuals and facilitate interactions. In addition, iTAD is designed to safely fit within dynamic hospitals and independent living facilities, requiring no changes to be made to existing infrastructures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-are-examples-of-itad-use-cases\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are examples of iTAD use cases?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Doctor visiting a patient across the country or globe for a consultation visit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nurse assisting a child with cerebral palsy by holding or lifting an object via iTAD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Son connecting with his elderly parents and assisting them at their independent living facility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deaf or hard of hearing individual communicating and interacting with family members in a different country<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>iTAD accompanying a patient travelling to their hospital room using autonomous navigation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"cu-section cu-section--white w-screen ml-offset-center px-4 md:px-6 lg:px-12\"><div class=\"cu-max-w-child-5xl space-y-6 md:space-y-10   cu-prose-first-last\"><figure class=\"cu-figure not-prose  max-w-full\"><div class=\"not-prose overflow-hidden bg-white shadow-lg max-w-full rounded-none\"><div class=\"relative none overflow-hidden w-full pb-[56.25%] border border-cu-black-100\"><iframe title=\"Videos Embed\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/907dgNOpYlk\" class=\"cu-embed-iframe\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"456\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation-400x456.png\" alt=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-17\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation-400x456.png 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation-160x182.png 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation-240x274.png 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation-768x875.png 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation-360x410.png 360w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/interactions_physicalManifestation.png 858w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-are-itads-features\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are iTAD\u2019s features?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>head&nbsp;<\/strong>is&nbsp;compromised of the tablet, camera, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor. An end-user is able to engage in natural-feeling interactions thanks to the centralized head structure making it possible to look at the tablet while looking into the camera. The tablet streams the live audiovisual stream from the desktop application.&nbsp;Facial detection software is used to detect the largest face in a&nbsp;frame, allowing the camera to follow it&nbsp;by using the camera\u2019s pan and tilt&nbsp;functions,&nbsp;preventing the remote user from needing to constantly readjust the camera during a conversation.&nbsp;The camera\u2019s pan and tilt functions and the removable tablet allow people at different heights to accessibly communicate through iTAD.&nbsp;In addition, the head is able to rotate via the neck structure, allowing users to easily address someone not directly in front of&nbsp;iTAD.&nbsp;The LiDAR sensor enables iTAD to map its surrounding area for autonomous navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The highly configurable nature of&nbsp;<strong>iTAD\u2019s communication platform<\/strong>&nbsp;allows for the addition of features to ensure that iTAD is compliant with accessibility standards; these include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Voice commands for the main functions of the robot, such as start-up and autonomous navigation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Filters to assist the visually impaired and individuals who lip-read to view video feeds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Real-time subtitles via voice-to-text converters and text-to-voice converters to allow effective communication with deaf or hard-hearing individuals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"arm-increasing-itads-functionality\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arm: Increasing iTAD\u2019s Functionality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The communication experience is further enhanced with the use of a&nbsp;<strong>5&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>degree-of-freedom (dof) arm<\/strong>,&nbsp;allowing the user to physically interact with a large area within its surroundings. The position of the end-effector, or gripper, can be intuitively controlled by toggling between arm and drivetrain control on the main controller. The versatile&nbsp;<strong>gripper&nbsp;<\/strong>design allows effective grasping of objects with different dimensions and surface finishes. The gripper is instrumented with force sensors and proximity infrared sensors to safely grasp objects and push items. Also, the gripper can be equipped with diagnostic tools, such as a heart rate sensor, to assist remote doctors with patient check-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>arm&nbsp;<\/strong>can assist people with disabilities by performing various tasks; examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lifting light objects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moving IV poles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Flicking light switches<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pushing elevator buttons (also essential for autonomous navigation capabilities)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n    <div class=\"grid gap-6 mx-auto my-6 cu-column md:gap-10 md:grid-cols-2 md:my-10 first:mt-0\">\n        \n<div class=\"cu-column-content\">\n    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"593\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2.jpg\" alt=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-79\" style=\"width:400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2.jpg 880w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2-160x108.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2-240x162.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2-768x518.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2-400x270.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/gripper_2-360x243.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">iTAD\u2019s gripper has force sensors to determine the gripping force, infrared (IR) sensor to detect an object\u2019s proximity and rubber tape for increased grip.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"cu-column-content\">\n    \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/116\/iTAD_ARM-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-82\" style=\"width:400px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">iTAD\u2019s multi-degree of freedom robotic arm allows the user to interact with the robot\u2019s environment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"showcase-autonomous-navigation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Showcase: Autonomous Navigation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To navigate autonomously, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor maps iTAD\u2019s surroundings, identifying where it is and calculating a path to get to its destination autonomously, by referencing a larger map of the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The video shown demonstrates iTAD\u2019s current mapping abilities. As iTAD, denoted by the right-angle-connected red and green lines, moves throughout a house, it maps the house\u2019s barriers, shown as the black lines, as well as iTAD\u2019s trajectory, shown as the bright green line. Path planning algorithms, such as A*, are then applied to plan a path from iTAD\u2019s current location to a desired location chosen by a user on the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"cu-section cu-section--white w-screen ml-offset-center px-4 md:px-6 lg:px-12\"><div class=\"cu-max-w-child-5xl space-y-6 md:space-y-10   cu-prose-first-last\"><figure class=\"cu-figure not-prose  max-w-full\"><div class=\"not-prose overflow-hidden bg-white shadow-lg max-w-full rounded-none\"><div class=\"relative none overflow-hidden w-full pb-[56.25%] border border-cu-black-100\"><iframe title=\"Videos Embed\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zNWvz_uka1w\" class=\"cu-embed-iframe\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"what-is-itads-current-status\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is iTAD\u2019s current status?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Structural components designed, manufactured and assembled<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Functional drivetrain with customizable controller inputs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Facial detection and recognition, showcased in the video. The arrow points from the centre of the frame to the centre of the largest face, visualizing how iTAD\u2019s camera will move and focus.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prototype arm with instrumented gripper constructed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Framework for autonomous navigation developed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The modular nature of iTAD allows for adding useful functionalities to increase iTAD\u2019s impact.<br>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"cu-section cu-section--white w-screen ml-offset-center px-4 md:px-6 lg:px-12\"><div class=\"cu-max-w-child-5xl space-y-6 md:space-y-10   cu-prose-first-last\"><figure class=\"cu-figure not-prose  max-w-full\"><div class=\"not-prose overflow-hidden bg-white shadow-lg max-w-full rounded-none\"><div class=\"relative none overflow-hidden w-full pb-[56.25%] border border-cu-black-100\"><iframe title=\"Videos Embed\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LbK5O9AzWXM\" class=\"cu-embed-iframe\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are teleprepresence devices? Telepresence devices use robotic platforms equipped with sensors and communication tools to execute tasks remotely.&nbsp;Commercially-available models typically offer limited mobility and interaction capabilities. Many lack a means of allowing the user to physically interact with the remote environment and are not designed to be accessible by people with disabilities, barring them [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[],"class_list":["post-283","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=283"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":299,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/283\/revisions\/299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/itad\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}