VetAid: Changing Lives for Veterans
Inspiration
Veterans have given so much in service to their country, yet many return home facing immense physical and mental challenges. Some suffer from disabilities, while others battle mental health issues like PTSD and depression. Sadly, the veteran suicide rate remains alarmingly high. Witnessing these struggles firsthand inspired us to create VetAid, a project aimed at improving veterans' lives through technology.
What it does and How we built it
VetAid is a two-part solution:
- Autonomous Wheelchair – This smart wheelchair detects objects and adjusts its speed accordingly. Using an ultrasonic sensor and an Arduino-based system, it can slow down, stop, or change direction based on proximity to obstacles, ensuring the safety and mobility of veterans who require assistance.
- VetAid App – Built with Flutterflow and Firebase, the VetAid app provides multiple mental health and assistance tools. It includes:
- Sleep Log: Allows veterans to track their sleep patterns and gain insights into their rest.
- Meditation & Relaxation Sounds: A list of sounds and guided meditations to help veterans relax and unwind.
- Breathing Exercises: Techniques to help reduce anxiety and stress.
- Wheelchair Assist: This feature links directly with the autonomous wheelchair, allowing users to control the chair’s speed, start and stop it, and even send an emergency alert to contacts.
Challenges we ran into
Building VetAid came with several challenges. One significant issue was that the DC motor used for the wheelchair was too weak to effectively move it. Although the motor could slow down and stop when it detected objects, which is crucial for safety, it couldn't provide the necessary power for mobility. Additionally, since we had to stick to just the Arduino kit, we faced limitations in functionality due to not having the appropriate DC motor for the wheels.
Another major obstacle was the inability to implement the app on the Arduino. We lacked access to the Bluetooth receiver, which was not included in our kit, making communication between the app and the wheelchair impossible. The time constraints were also significant, as the hackathon lasted only 36 hours, and we were working with just two team members.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of several key accomplishments during the development of VetAid. We were able to create a functional prototype of the autonomous wheelchair (given the time & resource constraints) that demonstrates effective obstacle detection. Additionally, our app integrates multiple mental health and assistive tools, providing veterans with accessible resources like meditation, breathing exercises, sleep logging, and wheelchair assist. Through our teamwork, we were able to come up with a product prototype that is innovative and aimed at improving veterans lives.
What we learned
Throughout this project, we learned a lot about the intersection of hardware and software. Working with the Arduino IDE and C to build the wheelchair’s controls gave us a deeper understanding of robotics while developing the VetAid app through FlutterFlow introduced us to real-time app development and Firebase integration.
What's next for VetAid
Our goal is to provide veterans with tools that can make their lives a little easier. Whether it’s helping them move more independently with the autonomous wheelchair or offering mental health support through features like meditation, sleep tracking, and emergency contact, we hope VetAid can be a lifeline for veterans who need it most. Veterans have sacrificed so much for us, and VetAid is our way of giving back. By combining mental health support with physical assistance, we aim to continually empower veterans, giving them both the mobility and peace of mind they deserve.
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