inductive joystick circuit

[MikeJPW]

I picked up an old electric wheelchair this past winter. The motors work and I have two good gel batteries that take & hold a charge. Up until today, the joystick even worked but it just stopped working and is flashing an error code. I don't know what it is because I have no manual or other paperwork. I wanted to replace the joystick anyway with some sort of R/C controlled switches but I don't know enough about the circuitry in the joystick part. The controller box on the chair has all the PWM circuitry (I assume) so, I'm thinking all I have to do is send the correct signals to it to make the motors do what I want. Can someone tell me if this is correct, so far? And then, how can I figure out switches to control the controller? The joystick is of the inductive type. Can anyone out there get me headed in the right direction? Thanks

 

[Mr RB]

Got a photo of the insides of the joystick?

Have you checked the wiring? A flashing error might be as simple as the joystick reporting that a wire is not connected properly, or plugged into the wrong place etc.

 

[MikeJPW]

error code

I figured out the error. I had inadvertently bumped the lever on one of the motors thus disengaging it. Joystick now works but that is really not my main question: would like to eliminate the joystick module and replace it with an interface that could be either radio controlled or controlled by microcontroller. I think the joystick circuitry is so proprietary that I could never get access to technical info on it so I don't know where to begin to hack such an interface. I know there are plenty of guys who are playing with wheelchairs to make robotics...I just can't seem to find one who might share their techniques with me. I'm not an electronics whiz; more of a tinkerer.