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The goal of the Portuguese project "SmartVision: active vision for the blind" is to develop a small, portable and cheap yet intelligent and reliable system for assisting the blind and visually impaired while navigating autonomously, both in- and outdoor. In this article we present an overview of the prototype, design issues, and its different modul...
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Citations
... In the research with white cane as the research content, the first thing that appears is to guide BVIP to travel on the navigational path by using RFID technology [101][102][103][104][105]. Furthermore, additional sensors have been added to the white cane to enhance its functionality, allowing for obstacle avoidance [106][107][108][109][110][111][112][113]. Mobile phones have also been integrated with the white cane to enable navigation and obstacle avoidance [114][115][116][117][118][119]. ...
... Subsequently, researchers have proposed combining cell phone inertial navigation with RFID technology to enable accurate positioning, path planning, and navigation [78]. In addition, RFID technology has also been used to correct errors in GPS positioning [101,104] as a complement to navigation landmark marking [107]. ...
Purpose:
In this article, we comprehensively review the current situation and research on technology related to outdoor travel for blind and visually impaired people (BVIP), given the diverse types and incomplete functionality of navigation aids for the blind. This aims to provide a reference for related research in the fields of outdoor travel for BVIP and blind navigation.
Materials and methods:
We compiled articles related to blind navigation, of which a total of 227 of them are included in the search criteria. One hundred and seventy-nine articles are selected from the initial set, from a technical point of view, to elaborate on five aspects of blind navigation: system equipment, data sources, guidance algorithms, optimization of related methods, and navigation maps.
Results:
The wearable form of assistive devices for the blind has the most research, followed by the handheld type of aids. The RGB data class based on vision sensor is the most common source of navigation environment information data. Object detection based on picture data is also particularly rich among navigation algorithms and associated methods, indicating that computer vision technology has become an important study content in the field of blind navigation. However, research on navigation maps is relatively less.
Conclusions:
In the study and development of assistive equipment for BVIP, there will be an emphasis on prioritizing attributes, such as lightness, portability, and efficiency. In light of the upcoming driverless era, the research focus will be on the development of visual sensors and computer vision technologies that can aid in navigation for the blind.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe visual deficiency can easily help blind and visually impaired people (BVIP) to develop psychological disorders.There are few, if any, devices to meet the outdoor travel needs of BVIP in all aspects.There is no comprehensive summary and overview in the field of outdoor navigation for the blind.The selection of appropriate assistive devices can help BVIP better understand the information of their surroundings and make safer and more effective outdoor trips.
... The Smart Vision navigation framework is presented in [7], which combines GPS, Wi-Fi localization with GIS (Geographic Information System) [8], passive RFID tags, and computer vision algorithms for outdoor scenarios. The system is not intended to replace the white cane but rather to supplement it by alerting the visually impaired (VI) user to impending dangers. ...
... The framework is intended to work with the VI client route in both indoor and open-air conditions. In [9], creators propose distinguishing the block's area by extricating interest focuses that are followed between progressive casings utilizing the standard Lucas-Kanade Vision-based assistive systems reported for VI users [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] algorithm Fig. 2(d). The object's movement is recognized from the camera development with the assistance of many homographic changes grouped by applying the Random sample consensus (RANSAC) calculation [11]. ...
This research reviews the current state of vision-based assistive solutions for the visually impaired (VI). The paper focuses primarily on camera-based assistive system solutions. We focused the review on vision-based assistive solutions proposed for VI people. The sensors, image processing algorithms, and wireless communication protocols employed in the survey have been summarised. Acoustic output devices were used in addition to cameras, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Global Positioning System (GPS). Vision-based assistive solutions have evolved from traditional image processing techniques to machine learning to deep learning for assistance for VI users. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices are the most common wireless technologies used by vision-based assistive systems. The literature does not adequately leverage the optimization of deep learning models for edge devices.
KeywordsVisually impaired peopleVision-based assistive systemsWireless technologies
... The approach suggested by them is used for obstacle detection as well as identification of floor states. Other research/industrial works [4,5,15] suggested the use of an ultrasound sensors for electronic cane realisation. The Portuguese project "SmartVision: active vision for the blind" proposed to use a set of ultrasound sensors to obtain an intelligent cane. ...
... The Portuguese project "SmartVision: active vision for the blind" proposed to use a set of ultrasound sensors to obtain an intelligent cane. The objective of this project is to obtain a competitive system for assisting the visually impaired person while navigating indoor outdoor [5]. Bhatlawande et al. [15] suggested the use of a network ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles in front, left and right direction. ...
The monitoring of visually impaired people is important in order to help them to travel safely. Then, many research works implement some travel aids. The proposed techniques are mostly based on the use of a white cane. This work introduces an electronic white cane based on sensors' technology. The proposed electronic cane helps its user to detect obstacles within two meters on the ground or in height. Once the obstacle is detected, the system sends vocal instructions via a Bluetooth headset to alert the person concerned. The ultrasonic and infrared sensors have been mounted on the white cane in order to provide it with the necessary intelligence. A raspberry pi performs the processing of the data. The proposed system also suggests using a mobile application to track the visually impaired in real-time. This application has a function that allows you to trace the visual patient's route. This is important to detect the possible cause of damage to patients during their travels. We use Python as programming language for electronic devices. The mobile application is Android. Though, the WEB application is a REST API developed using Python and NodeJs. The system is implemented and tested. The result shows the efficacity of the proposed system.
... For example, some vision-based methods are introduced in Schwarze and Zhong (2015), Harms et al. (2015), Harms et al. (2014), Wang et al. (2014), Du Buf et al. (2011), Cong et al. (2008, and Basca and Brad (2007) to detect and recognize the stair candidate region. These methods utilize the stereo vision, mobile robot, smartphone, and unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to navigate the stairways. ...
Stair region detection and recognition from a stair candidate image is a challenging work in the computer vision research area. In the last few decades, researchers use many recognition systems to recognize and verify the stair region from other analogous objects. However, all the verification systems such as vanishing point (VP) do not achieve the desired result for various reasons. In this regard, a method is proposed in this paper to investigate the vanishing point’s problem arising in the case of stair region verification based on the three basic criteria, i.e. focal angle of the camera, height of the camera from the ground, and distance of the camera from the stair image. For that, primarily, the stair region is extracted by utilizing the geometrical features of a stair. The detected stair candidate region is verified through the coordinate value of the vertical VP, i.e.<0. However, the coordinate value of VP does not verify the stair region from all the scenarios. This paper investigates and justifies this problem utilizing the experimental analysis and introduces a mathematical model to estimate the location of the VP of the stair region. Finally, support vector machine (SVM) classifier is utilized instead of VP to recognize the stair candidate region and the performance of SVM is compared with respect to the VP. For that, rotational invariant uniform local binary pattern (LBP) is used for feature extraction. Stair images captured under different orientation and illumination conditions have been used to test the proposed method to evaluate the resultant accuracy.
... The impaired people are also a part of our society so, we have some responsibility and contribution to make their life happy in this world. By the contribution of many peoples, the following devices are found namely Sound based or Sonar instruments [10], Walking cane which smart decisions and reporting [11], Intelligent observation/vision systems [12], walking/ governing stick [13], These devices use the displacement findings technique for detecting the hurdles and barriers around their surroundings by considering all the distance parameters. Most of the situations, the depth of the position of particular location on their pathway is used by sending and receiving the ultrasonic waves Thus location could be precisely measured and the same can be transferred to their attendees when they are in needy circumstances. ...
The visually impaired/blind people face many challenges and seeks help from the other people even for their daily routine life due to various complications. Also, they could not go independently outside, even for their basic needs and mentally depressed due to their current inability. A wearable navigation system/device is proposed and developed to help the blind people as well as the partially blind people or challenged people. The devised unit/prototype consists of the displacement measuring sensor for the detection of the obstacles and depth. The data received from the IR and Ultrasonic sensor is feed into the Arduino UNO Microcontroller and it is processed. The output from the controller is given to the impaired people through the wireless voice playback modem, to alert them when they found obstacle or collision. The receiver end receives the corresponding current position values through the navigation systems and the static, dynamic condition of the impaired people is measured using mems accelerometer and the same information (latitude, longitude) is shared as SMS to their family members or guardian to monitor them, during any emergency. The proposed guidance cane is a cheap, simple, user friendly and smart device.
... We can identify two main generations of electronic canes. Electronic canes using: -ultrasound sensors and/or laser and/or IR sensors [2,4,5]; cameras, electro-tactile system, Oh I see (the vOICe), stereovision systems [6][7][8]. ...
Visually impaired people need help to travel safely. To make this possible, many travel aids have been designed. Among them, the cane which is considered as a symbol of visual deficiency in the whole world. In this work, we build an electronic white cane using sensors' technology. This intelligent cane detects obstacles within 2m on the ground or in height, and sends vocal instructions via a Bluetooth headset. We have also built a mobile application to track in real time the visually impaired and a WEB application to control the access to the mobile one. We use ultrasound, IR sensors and a raspberry pi to process data. We use Python as programming language for electronic devices. The mobile application is Android. Though, the WEB application is a REST API developed using Python and Java Script.
... To guide blind people around obstacles, stairs, uneven surfaces and holes an electronic device is introduced, known as an electronic travel aid (ETA) [3][4][5][6]. This device will help them to move independently anywhere they want safely without any danger and without depending on others. ...
... I. Apostolopoulos uses smartphone sensors and camera [9] to find landmarks in order to provide direction provision to blind people. The problem though is that it assumes every person move at some fixed velocity although the same person has different walking pattern. ...
the ability of moving from one place to another place is an important activity of human's daily life. This activity is easily performed by the sighted people, however blind people are greatly affect due to the visual impairment. Navigation is the crucial activity for blind people, they can only travel in fixed route that are needed to their lives. This situation makes great difficulty for the blind people in their work and lives etc. The blind people are an important inevitable part of our community who has equal rights to utilize the resources of the world. Current navigation solutions for blind people increases cognitive load to memorize a large number of POI (Point of Interests), which significantly affect their performance and lead frustration. It is accepted that inability of moving independently can stop the participation of a person into society. Like other disabilities, blindness influences one's quality and mobility of life particularly when the vision is lost at the stage of adulthood after having functional vision. To make this blind community an active part of society, we present a smartphone-based approach for solving blind people's navigation issues in indoor environments that completely utilize the processing and sensory technologies of smartphone instead of relying on external technologies. The need to create indoor navigation application arises due to inaccessibility of GPS technology in indoor environments.
... This was enhanced by research results showing that the human retina is related to extraction of edge information from an incident image [10,11]. The desired features of the edge images for TVSS system are essentially accomplished by applying one of the first order edge detection algorithms in order to enhance the main edges and exclude the detail edges [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Anyway, some research has applied a different approach to finding edges of the scene image [20]. ...
Abstract: Tactile Vision Sensory Substitution (TVSS) systems are used to convert scene images
captured by the image sensors to tactile patterns that can be used to stimulate the skin sensory of the
blind users. These types of devices needed to be wearable, small size, low power consumption,
lightweight, and affordable cost. This paper presents the integration of an edge detection scheme
inside a CMOS image sensor forming an Edge Detection CMOS Image Sensor (EDIS). The design is
simulated using LTSPICE and MATLAB, performing three ways of simulation, giving accepted edge
images having very few fine edges but keeping the main edges. The proposed way is simple, low
component-count, doesn’t reduce the fill factor, use no analog to digital converter, presents adaptable
comparator-reference-voltage, and make a step towards an integrated all-in-one tactile vision sensory
substitution device.
... Recent research into the design of computer vision (CV) systems to assist people with visual impairments (VI) has started to move beyond supporting independent activities of daily living (e.g., recognizing text [13] or objects [19], and aiding navigation [8]), and toward a closer consideration of how people with VI are inter-connected with, and supported by, others [5,6,14,23,24,26,30]. Examples include crowdsourced answers to visual questions [4,9] and CV-assisted social experiences-for example making the capture [18,25] or editing and sharing of photos [3] more appealing to people with VI. Wu et al. [27] used computer vision to automatically integrate accessible alt-text information with Facebook photos, allowing blind users to feel more included and engaged with conversation around photos. ...
We propose a computer vision system that can automatically detect people in dynamic real-world scenes, enabling people with vision impairments to have more awareness of, and interactions with, other people in their surroundings. As an initial step, we investigate the feasibility of four camera systems that vary in their placement, field-of-view, and image distortion for: (i) capturing people generally; and (ii) detecting people via a specific person-pose estimator. Based on our findings, we discuss future opportunities and challenges for detecting people in dynamic scenes, and for communicating that information to visually impaired users.
