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      Autonomous Docking Laser-Guided Robotic Wheelchair This robotic wheelchair has autonomous laser-guided docking  - pretty cool for earth-bound tech. Researchers in Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, working with Freedom Sciences of Philadelphia, have retrofitted their system onto commercially available chairs and a Chrysler minivan.
 
(From  
 
Compare this fully autonomous wheelchair docking with the following Jules Verne ATV Autonomous Docking video 
(Jules Verne ATV Docks Autonomously On First Try ) 
 
In some ways, the wheelchair has the more difficult task; the autonomous docking system has worked 97.5% of the time even in rain,  mist, exhaust fumes, excessive headlight glare and loose gravel.
The wheelchair docking system will go on sale for about $30,000 - much cheaper than an autonomously docking space craft.
 Via NewScientist . 
    Scroll down   for more stories in the same  category. (Story submitted 5/4/2008)
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