Yellow Team 2016
Optical Detection Device for the Visually Impaired
Our device guides a visually impaired user through an indoor environment using a sensing device and an Apple iPhone. Visually impaired individuals have difficulty navigating to indoor locations for the first time and current solutions lack independence from unreliable indoor sources such as GPS or WiFi. Our device tracks the user’s orientation and distance, and the iPhone application provides auditory feedback to guide the user. Our solution will give users independence and a higher quality of life.
The sensing device is mobile and worn on the user’s waist. It includes an accelerometer to gather g-force measurements in 3 axes and a gyroscope to gather rotation. These data points are processed to determine the user’s number of steps and when they turn. The sensing device is wirelessly connected via Bluetooth to the user’s iPhone, which then communicates navigational information through audio. It tells the user when to turn and how far to walk.
At the time of publishing, Team Yellow’s project could detect a user’s steps and instruct them when to turn. The project has an interface activated by taps that does not require sight to use. Features that should be implemented in the future are a coded floor map of Halligan Hall, a proper stride calibration system to ensure the proper distance is mapped to each step, and a system for correcting users when they are no longer on the proper path.
Related Tech Notes
- Indoor Navigation for the Visually Impaired Using the Apple iPhone (pdf) by Stephen Dennison.
- Assistive Wearable Technologies for the Visually Impaired (pdf) by Steven Santos.
Yellow Team Project Poster
