Cost Effective Obstacle Detection Kit for Blind People

Around 1.3 billion people worldwide suffer from various types of vision impairments, and most of them encounter accidents due to obstacles they are unaware of. Most of the proposed solutions in this regard require a continuous network connection, are difficult to produce and design, require the user to carry a smartphone, and are costly. The present research aims to provide an effective, easy-to-use, and cost-efficient solution. The kit design primarily consists of ultrasonic sensors, an Arduino Uno processor, and micro-motors. Ultrasonic sensors were placed on the legs, hands, and cap of multiple users. As soon as obstacles entered the sensing range, signals were generated and sent to the Arduino Uno controller for processing. The Arduino Uno then processed the signals and used the micro-motors to create the vibratory output. The developed obstacle detection kit offers several advantages, including low cost, ease of adaptation and maintenance, a simple design, the utilization of the human body for an improved working range, and, most importantly, the ability to detect objects not only on the ground but also suspended ones.