Reflex control of a robotic aid system to assist the physically disabled

A robotic aid for the physically disabled that assists a user in feeding is presented. Two problems must be solved for a robot to feed a person. First, the robot must continually track the position of the person's face. Second, the robot must be able to get out of the way if the person moves suddenly. The first problem is solved with a machine-vision subsystem that computes the position of the person's face in real-time. The second problem requires reflex action on the part of the robot. Reflex action based on a layered control architecture has been implemented. Both problems require the ability to predict and follow human motion.<<ETX>>