PERCEPT: Indoor navigation for the blind and visually impaired

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aura Ganz ◽  
Siddhesh Rajan Gandhi ◽  
James Schafer ◽  
Tushar Singh ◽  
Elaine Puleo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Indoor Navigation ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired

Indoor Navigation Aid Systems for the Blind and Visually Impaired Based on Depth Sensors

2021 ◽  
pp. 187-223
Author(s):  
Fernando Merchan ◽  
Martin Poveda ◽  
Danilo E. Cáceres-Hernández ◽  
Javier E. Sanchez-Galan
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Indoor Navigation ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Microsoft Kinect ◽  
Depth Sensors ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Depth Vision

This chapter focuses on the contributions made in the development of assistive technologies for the navigation of blind and visually impaired (BVI) individuals. A special interest is placed on vision-based systems that make use of image (RGB) and depth (D) information to assist their indoor navigation. Many commercial RGB-D cameras exist on the market, but for many years the Microsoft Kinect has been used as a tool for research in this field. Therefore, first-hand experience and advances on the use of Kinect for the development of an indoor navigation aid system for BVI individuals is presented. Limitations that can be encountered in building such a system are addressed at length. Finally, an overview of novel avenues of research in indoor navigation for BVI individuals such as integration of computer vision algorithms, deep learning for the classification of objects, and recent developments with stereo depth vision are discussed.

scholarly journals PERCEPT Indoor Navigation System for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Architecture and Experimentation

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aura Ganz ◽  
James Schafer ◽  
Siddhesh Gandhi ◽  
Elaine Puleo ◽  
Carole Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Navigation System ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Indoor Navigation ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Multistory Building ◽  
Indoor Navigation System ◽  
System Effectiveness

We introduce PERCEPT system, an indoor navigation system for the blind and visually impaired. PERCEPT will improve the quality of life and health of the visually impaired community by enabling independent living. Using PERCEPT, blind users will have independent access to public health facilities such as clinics, hospitals, and wellness centers. Access to healthcare facilities is crucial for this population due to the multiple health conditions that they face such as diabetes and its complications. PERCEPT system trials with 24 blind and visually impaired users in a multistory building show PERCEPT system effectiveness in providing appropriate navigation instructions to these users. The uniqueness of our system is that it is affordable and that its design follows orientation and mobility principles. We hope that PERCEPT will become a standard deployed in all indoor public spaces, especially in healthcare and wellness facilities.

scholarly journals Autonomous Smart White Cane Navigation System for Indoor Usage

Technologies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Dhiaeddine Messaoudi ◽  
Bob-Antoine J. Menelas ◽  
Hamid Mcheick
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Indoor Navigation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Software Systems ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Visually Impaired People ◽  
Technological Tools ◽  
Impaired People ◽  
White Cane ◽  
Health Organization

According to the statistics provided by the World Health Organization, the number of people suffering from visual impairment is approximately 1.3 billion. The number of blind and visually impaired people is expected to increase over the coming years, and it is estimated to triple by the end of 2050 which is quite alarming. Keeping the needs and problems faced by the visually impaired people in mind, we have come up with a technological solution that is a “Smart Cane device” that can help people having sight impairment to navigate with ease and to avoid the risk factors surrounding them. Currently, the three main options available for blind people are using a white cane, technological tools and guide dogs. The solution that has been proposed in this article is using various technological tools to come up with a smart solution to the problem to facilitate the users’ life. The designed system mainly aims to facilitate indoor navigation using cloud computing and Internet of things (IoT) wireless scanners. The goal of developing the Smart Cane can be achieved by integrating various hardware and software systems. The proposed solution of a Smart Cane device aims to provide smooth displacement for the visually impaired people from one place to another and to provide them with a tool that can help them to communicate with their surrounding environment.

scholarly journals Developing apps for people with sensory disabilities, and implications for technology acceptance models

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Paraskevi Theodorou ◽  
Apostolos Meliones
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Technology Acceptance Model ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Indoor Navigation ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Acceptance Model ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons

The significance of digital assistive technology in everyday life of people with disabilities has been continuously increasing during the last decade. An important example is that of the development of mobile apps which are suitably adapted for use by sensory-deprived people. We are involved in developing two such initiatives. The first offers interactive indoor navigation for blind and visually impaired persons, while the second offers deaf people a user-friendly environment for text depiction of the verbal speech, even when the articulation is defective, which is usually the case when the speaker is deaf. Despite the possible benefits of these apps, this does not necessarily signify automatic acceptance. This study aims to examine factors that may inhibit take up, in order to obviate these as much as possible. Factors contributing to the acceptance of technology may be complex, such as ‘perceived usefulness’, ‘self-efficacy’ and ‘social influence’. An exploratory study of this issue will accrue qualitative evidence from the potential users. The paper concludes by presenting recommendations for the development of a tentative modified Technology Acceptance Model that considers the special circumstances around technology use by disability cohorts, to be tested as the research continues. Keywords: Technology acceptance model, blind and visually impaired, deaf, mobile apps, qualitative analysis. Keywords: Technology Acceptance Model; blind and visually impaired; deaf; mobile apps; qualitative analysis

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