Smart Blind Stick using Mobile Application and Bluetooth Module

There are many visually challenged people in our world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 285 billion people are visually impaired, and 39 million are irreversibly blind. They face many difficulties in daily life. This paper presents the smart blind stick to determine the obstacles such as stairs up/down, walls, sidewalks, holes, and water puddles. In addition, there is a button with pressing, the proposed stick can detect any motion if a user is alone anywhere. There is also a help button for sending the user's location to his friends. The proposed system permits people's attention to blind people walking in the street at night or in dark places by giving warning flashlights. The proposed model comprises four ultrasonic sensors, a PIR sensor, an IR sensor, a rain sensor, and an LDR sensor as inputs for Arduino Mega. Also, a vibration motor, buzzer, and voice messages are used as output for Arduino Mega. Bluetooth Module linked the proposed stick and mobile applications. The mobile application was used to give sound messages for each obstacle, send the user’s location to his friends in the helping case, and know the stick's place by pressing twice on any area on the mobile screen where the stick buzzer is operated. The proposed stick used a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery with an operation time of 2.30 to 3.30 hours according to use. The proposed stick is safe, low cost, high accuracy, and has low power consumption, as it is easily available to blind people.