Voice control

[Burgerman]

This will help some on here!

https://www.sunrisemedical.co.uk/powere ... =1&slide=0

VID

https://www.sunrisemedical.co.uk/powere ... activation

LINK

Remember that the Switch it system should work on all R-Net?
And even more importantly that you can use 2.
Each one has 5 switches (and so 10/up down) these are voice command too. And 10 seperate functions. So with 2 units you would be bankrups and have 20 in total.
Now its unlikely that you need 20 seat controls, especially as you can combine them (so legs/recline can work as one for e.g. These 20 functions are highly mapable.
You cound use it to work your TV or computer. So TV channel UP! to get away from the BBC or Volume down. Turn the lights on. Whatever. Anything that the comprehensive infra red system or BT allows. Also too much other stuff to list regarding control, profiles, speeds etc.

To make it work on non sunrise chairs you would just add the following file to your chair.

add switch-it stuff.Rnss

Add to chair.

(4.69 KiB) Downloaded 11 times

[Raro]

Very good function; many people find it difficult or impossible to operate the buttons. However, the SwitchIt isn't a cheap accessory. I suppose it's not an option at Permobil.

[Burgerman]

Not permobil. At least I dont think so. Definitely not on the new permobils? Cant even be programmed. No way to configure it. Even if it somehow worked with the permobil seating actuator.

Expensive, very. Thats the cost of being disabled, development for a very small market. At least its possible.

[Dan]

Can't you basically do this for free? And a lot of work. Home assistant software running on a Raspberry pi with a Zigbee controller working wireless relays. You can use any voice assistant like Siri or Home assistant now has its own voice assistant. You can set timers in the software and or run scripts.

12V ZigBee Dry Contact Relay Switch. It can be used like a rocker switch so only one action ar a time.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08YY7XFS3

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Raspberry-Pi-Model-2GB/dp/B09TTNPB4J?th=1

SONOFF Universal Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SONOFF-Universal-ZBDongle-Gateway-Assistant/dp/B0B6P22YJC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSqopd0eARI

You can run a network on your wheelchair and give the Raspberry Pi its own domain name.

[Burgerman]

Hows it going to set/adjust your chairs seating positions, speeds, mode, reset counters, profiles, etc?

You probably cant get external control in many different ways but that needs many additional parts, wiring, work, programming microcumputers etc. Ts is an all in one solution that is programmed with r-net ready to go! Integrated, plug and play.

A thought.
Doesent home assistant need you to be at home? Or close enough to that device to hear you at least?
So "bbq heater and patio lights on" wont work. "Garage door open" (or garage lights) wont, etc.
I had an infra red learning watch. I used that to control the TV in the pub so I could get the football off the screen. Or the BBC off. Or turn sound down. That wont work either!

[Dan]

I have never tried this with a wheelchair but if you're crazy enough to try it I think it would work. You could program an ESP32 microcontroller to replace the buttons on the wheelchair joystick. Or use an ESP32 to control relays. ESP32 home is part of home assistant, you can assign a name to any button or relay like "Wheelchair Tilt". You can then also activate any button or relay by voice. You can add timers the any button.

All the home assistant software can run on a tiny, low power consumption, Raspberry PI. Your wheelchair can be its own network, you can, if you wish to, hotspot your phone for internet access if you like but Home assistant can run 100% offline also with its built in voice assistant. But to use something like Apple's Siri you would have to be online. You can also access home assistant using a web browser from anywhere. Home assistant can be setup with its own domain name.


ESP32 is versatile for this because it's low-cost, has built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, and integrates seamlessly with Home Assistant (HA) via ESPHome.
Replacing buttons with direct ESP32 interfacing or using relays for safer, non-invasive control. This assumes basic electronics knowledge; if you're modifying a wheelchair, consult a professional to ensure safety and compliance with any medical standards.

Option 1:
Direct ESP32 Integration to Replace Buttons This involves wiring the ESP32 to mimic button presses on the joystick. You'd essentially "hijack" the button signals.Hardware Setup:Get an ESP32 board (e.g., ESP32-DevKitC).
Identify the joystick's button pins: Use a multimeter to find which wires/pins correspond to each button (e.g., tilt up/down). Wheelchair joysticks often use simple switch closures (pulling a pin to ground). Connect ESP32 GPIO pins to these: For each button, wire a GPIO as an output. When you want to "press" the button, set the GPIO low (or high, depending on the logic).
Add optocouplers or transistors if needed to isolate circuits and prevent damage.

Firmware with ESPHome:
Install ESPHome (part of HA ecosystem) on your ESP32. It's YAML-based and handles OTA updates.
Example ESPHome config YAML (flash this to the ESP32 via USB):

esphome:
name: wheelchair_controller

esp32:
board: esp32dev

wifi:
ssid: "YourSSID"
password: "YourPassword"

api: # Enables HA integration
logger:

# Define binary sensors or switches for buttons
switch:
- platform: gpio
name: "Wheelchair Tilt Up"
pin: GPIO25 # Choose your pin
id: tilt_up
inverted: true # Adjust based on logic

- platform: gpio
name: "Wheelchair Tilt Down"
pin: GPIO26
id: tilt_down
inverted: true

# Optional: Add a button to test
button:
- platform: restart
name: "Restart ESP32"

Upload this via ESPHome dashboard in HA. Once connected, these "switches" appear in HA as entities (e.g., switch.wheelchair_tilt_up).

Voice Activation:
In HA, set up voice assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa, or HA's built-in (via Nabu Casa or Rhasspy).
Create automations: E.g., voice command "Tilt wheelchair up" triggers the switch.wheelchair_tilt_up entity to turn on for 0.5 seconds (to simulate a button press).
Example HA automation YAML:

automation:
- alias: Voice Tilt Up
trigger:
- platform: event
event_type: google_assistant_command # Or your voice platform
event_data:
command: "tilt wheelchair up"
action:
- service: switch.turn_on
entity_id: switch.wheelchair_tilt_up
- delay: '00:00:00.5'
- service: switch.turn_off
entity_id: switch.wheelchair_tilt_up

Option 2:
Using ESP32 to Control Relays. This is safer for beginners—relays act as isolated switches, avoiding direct wiring to the joystick's internals.Hardware Setup:Use a relay module (e.g., 4-channel 5V relay board compatible with ESP32). Wire relays in parallel with the joystick buttons: Each relay closes the circuit for a button when activated.
Connect relay inputs to ESP32 GPIOs (e.g., GPIO 25 for tilt up relay).

Firmware with ESPHome:Similar to above, but define relays as switches.

esphome:
name: wheelchair_relay

esp32:
board: esp32dev

wifi: [...] # Same as above

api:
logger:

switch:
- platform: gpio
name: "Wheelchair Tilt Up Relay"
pin: GPIO25
id: tilt_up_relay

- platform: gpio
name: "Wheelchair Tilt Down Relay"
pin: GPIO26
id: tilt_down_relay

The relays will click on/off to simulate button presses.

Voice Activation:
Identical to Option 1—use HA entities for the relays in automations.

Additional TipsSafety First:
Wheelchairs are critical devices. Test thoroughly on a bench setup before installing. Add fail-safes like watchdog timers in ESPHome to reset if the ESP32 hangs.
Power: Power the ESP32 from the wheelchair's battery (use a buck converter for 3.3V) or a separate USB battery.
Expansion: Add sensors (e.g., IMU for auto-leveling) or Bluetooth for app control.
Debugging: Use the ESPHome logs in HA to monitor. If you run into code issues, the code_execution tool could help simulate snippets, but this should get you started.
Resources: Check the ESPHome docs for more configs, or communities like Reddit's r/homeassistant for wheelchair-specific mods.

[Burgerman]

You should talk to Slowmobile. He speaks like that or a similar language. Me, I was lost by halfway through paragraph 2. How are you connecing to the chairs bus?

I am sure that with enough microcontrollers and wires / relays etc everything is possible.

But probably not exactly easy, understandable to many like me. Or safe. I can see literally nobody ever doing that for themselves, even if they understood it, since they already struggle using say, physical switches... Enough issues already.
The other thing is that theres a massive difference between a off the shelf seamless working safe tested streamlined integrated certified product and a prototype. Both in usability, design and production/testing time, and development cost, and user confidence and usability.

I see one as a project for those like you or slowmobile that love microcontrollers kind of as a hobby and one as a repeatable working ready to fit solution.