> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://carec.gitbook.io/carec-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://carec.gitbook.io/carec-docs/readme.md).

# CAREC

## Safer mobility, built openly

CAREC is an open-source engineering project exploring collision warning, assisted safety, caregiver awareness, simulation, and constrained autonomous navigation for pediatric wheelchair users.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**CAREC is a development-stage prototype, not a certified medical device.** Experimental systems must not transport a person without an approved safety process and appropriate professional oversight.
{% endhint %}

<button type="button" class="button primary" data-action="ask" data-icon="gitbook-assistant">Ask about CAREC</button>

## Explore the project

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>🚀</td><td><strong>Start contributing</strong></td><td>Join remotely—even without wheelchair hardware.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>🧊</td><td><strong>Build in simulation</strong></td><td>Develop repeatable robotics scenarios and tests.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>🛡️</td><td><strong>Understand safety</strong></td><td>Review hazards, safe states, overrides, and validation.</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>🗺️</td><td><strong>See the roadmap</strong></td><td>Follow evidence-gated development milestones.</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

## Why CAREC

A wheelchair can move close to walls, furniture, doorframes, and people in less time than a caregiver can react. CAREC investigates an offline, locally processed safety layer with intuitive alerts and a path toward supervised autonomy.

The concept currently includes:

* Manual, assisted, and autonomous operating modes
* Local perception and tiered proximity warnings
* Caregiver notifications
* Simulation-first development for remote volunteers
* Independent override, emergency-stop, and safe-state concepts
* Evidence-based progression from simulation to unoccupied prototypes

All performance numbers in concept material remain targets until independently validated.

## Join the effort

Engineering contributions are welcome across robotics simulation, AI and perception, navigation, embedded firmware, mobile development, mechanical design, safety, testing, research, and documentation.

Read the Contributor Guide


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://carec.gitbook.io/carec-docs/readme.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.