A real time plug-and-play ultrasonic tethering system was designed with a modified Eightfold Technologies SmartChair Remote as the interface between the “ultrasonic tethering components and custom navigation software” and the wheelchair control system. The SmartChair Remote is a cross platform Bluetooth enabled joystick emulator that can be used to maneuver a powered wheelchair with a smart phone. The ultrasonic tethering system along with a SmartChair Remote can be connected to most commercially available powered wheelchairs, making the proposed solution broadly accessible to wheelchair users. The ultrasonic tethering system was developed with inexpensive components that were easily available in the market and all programming was implemented on an open source platform. The overall cost of developing the prototype was approximately $200 (CAD), which included the cost for manufacturing the 3-D printed parts (i.e., cases, clamps, holders), excluding the SmartChair Remote. Other contactless tethering techniques, such as using cameras and lidar sensors, require a computer with additional modules to convert digital signals to the required analog signals (and vice-versa) that are bulky and increase the overall system cost.