Indoor navigation system for blind person

[HIREN DAVE]

Hello friends,

I want to design a circuit for blind person i.e. indoor building navigation. I found that sometimes it is very difficult to find path in a building to a common location for blind person. GPS can't be used for this purpose. So what technology should i use? How it is possible? Which is low cost solution?


thanks in advance.

 

[dr pepper]

Not easy for a building that hasnt been prepared.
Detecting a wall to keep someone walking down a corridor without walking into it could probably be done with ultrasound and a microcontroller, but navigating presents an issue, whatever directs the person would need the movements on file.
You could use something like a dog perimeter guard, which is just a long wire, if the receiver goes to far from it, it can activate an alarm, or in this case maybe a device like a trembler so the person can tell, maybe one in each pocket for direction instructions.

 

[picbits]

How about some kind of barcode or image recognition by each doorway / corridor ? If it is on one side of the wall then the image sensor can tell in which direction you are walking and update an "internal map"

You could also use short range rfid or similar ?

 

[alec_t]

Perhaps use pulse-coded ultrasonic beacons at way-points throughout the building?

 

[dr pepper]

Barcodes is a good idea information for those is everywhere, as above but infra red is also an option.

 

[user_88]

Here is something to look at. The description says that you can attach an external speaker, with a fast/slow output.
**broken link removed**

The maximum range is 2.5 meters. Minimum range is 0.2 meters.
Looks like it would be useful for collision avoidance, but not for very long range guidance.

 

[alec_t]

The simplest guidance system would be non-electronic. Just 3D arrows fixed to corridor walls.

 

[Inquisitive]

I'd have to agree. The present day Braille sign system is pretty cost effective.

 

[ericgibbs]

hi Hiren,
I think you will have to define what you mean by navigation.??
ie: position, direction or actual feedback guidance to the user, also is it a fixed area.?
E

 

[jpanhalt]

How about a guide dog? (plus Braille signs)

When I read these ideas, the first question I have is whether a needs assessment was done with the target population. Inventing something clever by sighted people based on what they think a disabled person needs will likely result in a gold shovel without a handle.

John

 

[misterT]

You should interview some blind people. They know the best what kind of guidance is most helpful.. then you can start thinking how to do it.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Google maps does work indoors. So if someone isn't totally blind, you might be able to take google glass as a wearable computer with some fancy software/hardware and navigate, but you still need some sort of xmit/receiver type thing to triagulate a position. Ultrasonic/distance sensors may be able to detect obstacles.

For an off the wall idea, you could probably use something like was used in the 70's for a temperature programmer. They took a sheet of metal on an insulating substrate and scribed the temperature pattern on the foil. The foil/substrate sandwhich was mounted on a drum.

Now, here is the cool part. An AC signal was imposed on both "sides" of the foil out of phase and the sensor followed the center path.

If you could embed the technology as a carpet runner kind of thing and place it under a carpet and then use the "blind stick" or whatever it's called to act as a sensor. You could say get a blip at the center. In the case of the AC sensor, you at least know which way to turn. Use a vibrating motor to give direction.

These are just a couple of random thoughts that come to mind.

In any event, the building has to be "prepared" somehow. There was/is a Youtube video about a tour of one of Google's data center using the indoor Google Maps Street View technology. See:

 

[Jaguarjoe]

My Mother in law's Fancy wheelchair came with an eyeball directed steering system. I believe it just used a single camera.