Cane Mounted Knee-Above Obstacle Detection and Warning System for the Visually Impaired

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Balakrishnan ◽  
Kolin Paul ◽  
Ankush Garg ◽  
Rohan Paul ◽  
Dheeraj Mehra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Obstacle Detection ◽  
Independent Mobility ◽  
Distance Information ◽  
Detection Range ◽  
Knee Height ◽  
Detection Of Objects ◽  
White Cane ◽  
Visually Challenged

There are numerous constraints that visually challenged people face in independent mobility and navigation. They primarily use the white cane as a mobility aid allowing them to detect close by obstacles on the ground. The detection of objects above knee height is almost impossible and is a major hindrance for them. In this work, we have reported the design and implementation of a detachable unit which acts to augment the functionality of the existing white cane, to allow knee-above obstacle detection. This unit consists of an ultrasonic ranger and a vibrator controlled by an eight bit microcontroller to offer an increased detection range of three meters. The distance information is conveyed to the user through non-interfering multi-frequency vibratory stimuli, the frequency of vibration indicating the proximity of obstacles. This unit is also capable of detecting fast moving obstacles. Considerable effort has gone into the electromechanical design of this unit conveying the vibrations effectively and ensuring that it is easily attachable on the existing white cane without sighted assistance. A crucial design optimization goal was cost — the unit has been developed as a “low cost” device which is affordable by the poor in developing countries.

scholarly journals Low-Cost Open Source Ultrasound-Sensing Based Navigational Support for Visually Impaired

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aliaksei L. Petsiuk ◽  
Joshua M. Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Obstacle Detection ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Distance Information ◽  
Navigational Support

Nineteen million Americans have significant vision loss. Over 70% of these are not employed full-time, and more than a quarter live below the poverty line. Globally, there are 36 million blind people, but less than half use white canes or more costly commercial sensory substitutions. The quality of life for visually impaired people is hampered by the resultant lack of independence. To help alleviate these challenges this study reports on the development of a low-cost (<$24), open-source navigational support system to allow people with the lost vision to navigate, orient themselves in their surroundings and avoid obstacles when moving. The system can be largely made with digitally distributed manufacturing using low-cost 3-D printing/milling. It conveys point-distance information by utilizing the natural active sensing approach and modulates measurements into haptic feedback with various vibration patterns within the distance range of 3 m. The developed system allows people with lost vision to solve the primary tasks of navigation, orientation, and obstacle detection (>20 cm stationary, moving up to 0.5 m/s) to ensure their safety and mobility. Sighted blindfolded participants successfully demonstrated the device for eight primary everyday navigation and guidance tasks including indoor and outdoor navigation and avoiding collisions with other pedestrians.

scholarly journals Design, manufacture and testing of a prototype obstacle-detection device at blind corners: an automated highway system technology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Atombo ◽  
Emmanuel Gbey ◽  
Apevienyeku Kwami Holali
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Effective Area ◽  
Obstacle Detection ◽  
The Road ◽  
Vibration Sensors ◽  
Road Signs ◽  
Sensor Module ◽  
Vehicle Path ◽  
Automated Highway

Abstract Traffic accidents on highways are attributed mostly to the "invisibility" of oncoming traffic and road signs. "Speeding" also causes drivers to reduce the effective radius of the vehicle path in the curve, thus trespassing into the lane of the oncoming traffic. The main aim of this paper was to develop a multisensory obstacle-detection device that is affordable, easy to implement and easy to maintain to reduce the risk of road accidents at blind corners. An ultrasonic sensor module with a maximum measuring angle of 15° was used to ensure that a significant portion of the lane was detected at the blind corner. The sensor covered a minimum effective area of 0.5 m2 of the road for obstacle detection. Yellow light was employed to signify caution while negotiating the blind corner. Two photoresistors (PRs) were used as sensors because of the limited number of pins on the microcontroller (Arduino Uno). However, the device developed for this project achieved obstacle detection at blind corners at relatively low cost and can be accessed by all road users. In real-world applications, the use of piezoelectric accelerometers (vibration sensors) instead of PR sensors would be more desirable in order to detect not only cars but also two-wheelers.

The Effect of Extended Sensory Range via the EyeCane Sensory Substitution Device on the Characteristics of Visionless Virtual Navigation

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 379-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shachar Maidenbaum ◽  
Shelly Levy-Tzedek ◽  
Daniel Robert Chebat ◽  
Rinat Namer-Furstenberg ◽  
Amir Amedi
Keyword(s):  
Single Point ◽  
Visual Navigation ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Sensory Substitution ◽  
Distance Information ◽  
Navigation Patterns ◽  
White Cane ◽  
Blind User ◽  
Mobility Training ◽  
Point Distance

Mobility training programs for helping the blind navigate through unknown places with a White-Cane significantly improve their mobility. However, what is the effect of new assistive technologies, offering more information to the blind user, on the underlying premises of these programs such as navigation patterns?We developed the virtual-EyeCane, a minimalistic sensory substitution device translating single-point-distance into auditory cues identical to the EyeCane’s in the real world. We compared performance in virtual environments when using the virtual-EyeCane, a virtual-White-Cane, no device and visual navigation. We show that the characteristics of virtual-EyeCane navigation differ from navigation with a virtual-White-Cane or no device, and that virtual-EyeCane users complete more levels successfully, taking shorter paths and with less collisions than these groups, and we demonstrate the relative similarity of virtual-EyeCane and visual navigation patterns. This suggests that additional distance information indeed changes navigation patterns from virtual-White-Cane use, and brings them closer to visual navigation.

scholarly journals A Hands-Free Obstacle Detection and Avoidance System

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 801-804
Author(s):  
M. Abdul-Niby ◽  
M. Alameen ◽  
O. Irscheid ◽  
M. Baidoun ◽  
H. Mourtada
Keyword(s):  
Obstacle Avoidance ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Obstacle Detection ◽  
Text To Speech ◽  
Voice Signal ◽  
Visually Impaired People ◽  
Impaired People ◽  
The Voice

In this paper, we present a low cost hands-free detection and avoidance system designed to provide mobility assistance for visually impaired people. An ultrasonic sensor is attached to the jacket of the user and detects the obstacles in front. The information obtained is transferred to the user through audio messages and also by a vibration. The range of the detection is user-defined. A text-to-speech module is employed for the voice signal. The proposed obstacle avoidance device is cost effective, easy to use and easily upgraded.

scholarly journals Crowdsourcing an Earthquake early warning system for the Indian Subcontinent

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul Aleem ◽  
Paul George ◽  
Prasanna Natarajan
Keyword(s):  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Strong Motion ◽  
Deep Penetration ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Earthquake Early Warning System ◽  
Ongoing Work ◽  
Motion Characteristics ◽  
Main Components

Earthquakes are potentially very destructive natural events. The risk fromearthquakes is aggravated because they are unpredictable and can cause tremendousloss of life and property within seconds, particularly in dense urban settings. Wepresent our ongoing work to develop a comprehensive earthquake early warningsystem (EEWS) for the Indian subcontinent. The impetus for this work comes fromthe fact that India has just 82 seismic stations for a land area of about 3.2 million sq.km, with no dedicated EEWS, plus low-cost accelerometers are now easily available,and smartphones have deep penetration. The planned system will use a network ofmobile smartphones and stationary low-cost MEMS-based strong motion sensors.The main components of this project are: creating a high-density network of low-costsensors, real-time transmission of data, algorithms to analyze ground shaking data,compute ground motion characteristics, and determine if the source of shaking is anearthquake.

scholarly journals Sole Mate: Safe Path-Finding by Obstacle Detection and Distance Estimation for the Blind

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6S4) ◽  
pp. 50-54
Keyword(s):  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Distance Estimation ◽  
Feedback System ◽  
Obstacle Detection ◽  
Video Footage ◽  
System A ◽  
The World ◽  
Distance Sensor ◽  
Visually Challenged ◽  
Additional Device

The world has increased its demand for assistive technology (AT). There are a lot of researches and developments going on with respect to AT. Among the AT devices which are being developed, the need for a reliable and less expensive device which serves as an assistance for a visually challenged person is in serious demand all around the world. We, therefore, intend to provide a solution for this by constructing a device that has the capability to detect the obstacles within a given range for a visually challenged person and alerting the person about the obstacles. This involves various components like a camera for image detection, an ultrasonic distance sensor for distance estimation and a vibration motor which works on the principle of Haptic feedback and rotates with varied intensities depending on how far the obstacle is from the user. This paper presents a model which is a part of the footwear of the user and hence, no additional device is required to hold onto for assistance. The model involves the use of a microcontroller, a camera, to dynamically perceive the obstacles and a haptic feedback system to alert the person about the same. The camera dynamically acquires the real time video footage which is further processed by the microcontroller to detect the obstacles. Simultaneously, one more algorithm is being executed to estimate the distance with the help of an ultrasonic distance sensor. Depending on the distance, the frequency of the vibration motor, which acts as the output for notifying the user about the obstacle, is varied (haptic feedback). With this system, a visually challenged person will be able to avoid the obstacles successfully without the use of any additional device.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document