The Digitalization of the Walking Stick for the Blind
Vandan Patel · 2015
Blindness is a state of lacking the visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors. In this project, a simple intuitive blind navigation system is designed and implemented to improve the mobility and safety of blind people during their travels. The prototype includes a wearable glove to help the blind person to navigate alone safely and to avoid any obstacles that may be encountered, whether fixed or mobile, to prevent any possible accident. The main component of this system is the ultrasonic sensor which is used to scan a direction by emitting reflecting ultrasound waves. The reflected ping received from the obstacle is inputted to the microcontroller which is used to determine the distance of the object from the user. This distance then gets outputted by a vibrating motor which vibrates with more intensity as the obstacle gets closer. The current prototype is effective in terms of eliminating the use of a cane and also making it less embarrassing for the user to travel without being noticed.