Home navigation system for the visually impaired

The University of Nevada-Reno computer engineer Reno has launched an in-house navigation system for the visually impaired. Human-computer interaction and motion-planning technology has been combined to create a low cost Navatar navigation system that can operate on smartphones.

The navigation system uses a 2-D digital architectural map available in buildings and low-cost sensors such as accelerometers and compasses in smartphones to navigate people. Have low vision. This system locates and tracks users inside the house, helping them find the most appropriate route based on the specific needs of the user and step by step guide them to the desired location.

To activate the system, users only need to press a button on the phone or Bluetooth headset. "In order to synchronize locations, our system combines the probabilistic algorithms and the natural abilities of the visually impaired to find the features ," said Eelke Folmer, a member of the research team. in their environment through touch '. The team is developing a navigation system in other environments and integrating it into an outdoor navigation system using GPS technology.

References: Sciencedaily