Guidance system for sight-impaired people

摘要

One of the most debilitating predicament is the lack or loss of the visual function. There are many conditions that can lead to this: severe irremediable refractive errors (due to myopia, hyperopia and/or astigmatism), cataracts (related to aging, trauma or as a birth defect), glaucoma, macular degeneration, etc. Rehabilitation engineering does not seek to reverse the damage, but to find alternative ways in which an individual might regain through adaptation a satisfying degree of independence. The paper present a system composed of an ultrasound sensors array that capture distance data about obstacles present in the environment and translate it into tactile feedback by modulating the vibrating frequency of an array of vibration motors strategically positioned on a clothing item. Tactile feedback provide a reliable alternative pathway for visual impaired individuals, and, as implemented, does interfere minimally with the auditory perception.