10-11-2012, 03:55 PM
Smart stick for Blind: Obstacle Detection, Artificial vision and Real-time assistance via GPS
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ABSTRACT
The paper presents a theoretical model and a system concept to provide a smart electronic aid for blind people. The system is intended to provide overall measures – Artificial vision and object detection ,real-time assistance via global positioning system(GPS).The system consist of proximity sensors, ultrasonic sensors , gps module, stereo cameras and dual feedback system- auditory as well as vibratory circuit. The aim of the overall system is to provide a low cost and efficient navigation aid for blind which gives a sense of artificial vision by providing information about the environmental scenario of static and dynamic objects around them.
INTRODUCTION
Vision is the most important part of human physiology as 83% of information human being gets from the environment is via sight. The 2011 statistics by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 285 billion people in world with visual impairment , 39 billion of which are blind and 246 with low vision . The traditional and oldest mobility aids for persons with visual impairments are the walking cane (also called white cane or stick) and guide dogs. The most important drawbacks of these aids are necessary skills and training phase, range of motion and very little information conveyed. With the rapid advances of modern technology, both in hardware and software front has brought potential to provide intelligent navigation capabilities. Recently there has been a lot of Electronic Travel Aids (ETA) [1] designed and devised to help the blind navigate independently and safely. Also high-end technological solutions have been introduced recently to help blind persons navigate independently. To identify the position and orientation and location of the blind person any of those solutions rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology While such systems are suitable for outdoor navigation, due to the need for line of sight access to satellites, they still need additional components to improve on the resolution and proximity detection to prevent collision of the blind persons with other objects and hence subject his/her life to danger. However in comparison to other technologies many blind guidance systems use ultrasound because of its immunity to the environmental noise.
THE GPS UNIT
The GPS Based blind device with userinput interfacing get alert the blind person when reaches his destination by voice .This consists of microcontroller and GPS and one voice module to generate the voice.pic The Micro controller is the heart of the device. It stores the data of the current location which it receives from the GPS system. So that it can make use of the data stored to compare with the destination location of the user. By this it can trace out the distance from the destination and produce an alarm to alert the user in advance.
APR (Voice Circuitry)
APR 9600 is a low cost, high performance sound record/replay IC, incorporating flash analogue storage technique. The device offers true single chip voice recording and play back capability for 40 to 60 seconds. The IC is non-volatile; recorded sound is retained even after the power supply is removed from the module. The device offers true single chip voice recording and play back capability for 40 to 60 seconds. The replayed sound exhibits high quality with the low noise level. Sample rates are user selectable which allows the designers to customize their design for unique quality and storage time needs.
CONCLUSION
The paper proposed the design and architecture ,of a new concept of Smart Electronic Travel Stick for blind people. The advantage of the system lies in the fact that it can prove to be very low cost solution to millions of blind person worldwide. The proposed combination of various working units makes a real-time system that monitors position of the user and provides dual feedback making navigation more safe and secure.