Sound and touch based smart cane: Better walking experience for visually challenged

Abstract

Moving with the help of a white cane is an elusive task for the visually challenged unless they create a mental route map with recognizable reference elements. The smart cane is intended to provide the visually challenged a better walking experience. The design is incorporated with Bluetooth enabled Obstacle detection module, supported with heat detection and haptic modules. The ultrasonic range finders help in detecting obstacles. The distance between the obstacle and the user is sent to an Android device via Bluetooth. The user gets voice alerts about the distance through Bluetooth headset. Haptics module is included to warn the user of moving obstacles with the help of vibratory motors. This research work explains about the setup we used for the implementation, design details and experimental results of the measured parameters.