Computer-vision based feeding robot for disabled people

The current paper presents a feeding robot designed for assisting feeding in the case of disabled people. Autonomous feeding is especially important to the general well-being, as losing this ability due to illness or trauma can negatively impact the psyche, contributing to the feelings of helplessness. The robot is semi-autonomous, which means that the feeding sequence is started by the user with a certain facial expression. To this end, the facial expressions of the patient are monitored by a depth video camera; the depth stream is also used for correcting the trajectory of the end-effector, which is especially important for the last part of the approach of the spoon in the mouth area. Design details regarding the mechanical structure and control are given.