Dynamic Rangefinding Wearable Hardware–Software System for Visually Impaired, Based on Double-Type Sensors
According to the World Health Organization, the number of visually impaired people increases annually, making their social and economic integration a pressing concern. This article describes a dynamic rangefinding wearable hardware-software system (HSS) based on the sensors of two types: one ultrasonic and three time-of-flight (ToF) technology sensors. The study includes survey results from visually impaired users, highlighting key features and usability aspects of the device. A mathematical model is employed to process standard scenarios, and a decision-making algorithm for detecting obstacles and identifying pathways is detailed. Testing confirms the mathematical model’s accuracy and the system’s capabilities in object classification and rangefinding—an essential function for visually impaired users. This article presents the results of field tests of the system by visually impaired individuals. The test results demonstrated the system’s effectiveness, showing an average obstacle detection accuracy of over 80% and a 99% success rate in recognizing large objects, such as walls, along the path.
Authors
- А. В. Никулин (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8482-0919)
- Anna S. Kazmina
- В.В. Смирнов
- Alina A. Babina
Institutions
- Novosibirsk State Technical University (RU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- IEEE Sensors Journal
- Published
- 2025-01-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1109/jsen.2025.3530929
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Surface Roughness and Optical Measurements
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.67