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Indoor Navigation system for Visually Impaired

PROJECT DETAILS

An indoor directional system to assist a visually impaired individual in an indoor space to reach their desired location. The system consists of wearable that orients the visually impaired individual through haptic feedback.

MENTOR:

Madeleine Cordier, Zoe McCloskey

MY ROLE

Design Strategy, User Research, Prototype, coding

DURATION

6 Weeks

TEAM:

Jayee Dhawan

TOOLS

Adafruit Circuit Playground, Processing, Arduino, Figma

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How do those with 

Visual Impairments Navigate?

In outdoor spaces those with vision impairment make use of Google maps, audio feedback and tactile tiles to help the person navigate.

Limitations and challenges

  • In busy streets it is difficult to hear the audio feedback clearly. 

  • There is no standardized indoor navigation system.

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Feeling of being independent

What do they expect?

Passive guidance

Virtual assistance with first time walks

HMW create a navigation system that helps with smooth indoor navigation and helps those with visual impairment feel self-reliant?

Introducing

Buzz Nav

Give feedback through

Haptics

wearable

Guidance using

Calm Technology:

Haptic Interactions and Operations

Different vibration patterns were tested and applied for haptic feedback with appropriate intensity

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CONCEPT

A wearable that gives haptic feedback to those having issues with visual accessibility in an indoor space

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Communication between

Wearable and the Environment

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PLACEMENT OF SENSORS IN INDOOR SPACE

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Person

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Environmental sensors

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Haptic Feedback

Exploring

Technologies for the Navigation system

PRIMARY TOOLS

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EXPLORATION 1

Arduino- Time of Flight Sensor

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Placing Time of Flight sensors near turnings in an indoor space.
Connecting them to communicate serially and send a haptic feedback to the person as he approaches each of them.

Limitations:
Establishing serial communications and synchronously sending haptic feedback was out of scope.

EXPLORATION 2

Estimote Beacons

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Placing Estimote Beacons near turnings in an indoor space.
Connecting them to communicate serially and send a haptic feedback to the person as he approaches each of them.

Limitations:
Combining codes from Arduino and Beacons was complex and out of scope

Wizard of Oz

Prototype

A Remote Guide

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Visually impaired person sends an audio input to the guide about the indoor destination he wants to go to.

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As the guide receives an a assistance request, he foresees the path of the visually impaired person and start giving directions using the visual direction cues on his phone.

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As per the direction inputs given by guide, the smart wearable will output haptic feedback to orient the person accordingly.

Remote Communication

Exploring

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BLUEFRUIT AND IT’S NATIVE APP

Next, we worked with Bluefruit Circuit playground to connect another circuit to establish a stronger connecting than IR. It’s native app allows basic functionalities like NeoPixels, control panel, sound etc.

Limitations:
Connection between circuit and the app wasn’t staying constant. It was mainly obstructed due to multiple bluetooth devices in the same room.

CPX TO CPX BY IR SENSING

Connecting one Circuit Playground to another and send signals via it’s IR sensors.

Limitations:
Weak IR receiver and no 360 degree cover for range.

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Final Setup

Navigation System

GOOGLE TEACHABLE MACHINE AND PICTOBLOX

Training postures in Teachable Machine to let the machine learn about turns and accordingly display directions for the guide on the map.

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Navigation system with Google Teachable Machine

Training the

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We plotted a path for prototype demo purpose and trained using Google Teachable Machine and coded with Pictoblox. This would help the guide track the movement of VI person in the indoor space and assist him with directions by sending haptic feedback to the wearable through signals.

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IR Communication

Setting up

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Assembling the Physical Prototype

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Safeguarding the complex wiring and Adafruit circuit Playground

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Making sure the vibration motors lie near the shoulders and the IR sensors lie on top

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The joy of putting it all together! 😛

Final Wearable Prototype Form

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IR LED To give visual feedback to guide for prototype demo purpose

Power source

Box inside contains Adafruit Circuit playground and other connections

Vibration motors to give haptic feedback

Prototype

Testing

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The prototype was tested multiple times to check the haptic feedback. The participants were asked to close their eyes and test the prototype. Before starting the experience, they were given a walkthrough about the different patterns of haptic feedback for identifying directions.

INSIGHTS

Different vibration patterns, were distinctly identifiable

The haptic feedback was easy to follow

Could the form be little more subtler and less bulky?

The form of the prototype was comfortable to wear.

ENVISIONED

Prototype Form

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A Clip on Wearable

A clip on wearable that can be worn on any kind of clothes and a more compact form that blends in effectively

Learnings

  • Prototyping is not about creating high fidelity products, but to convey how exactly the product is supposed to serve its purpose.

  • Got to explore and learn about enormous number of technologies.

  • I also started paying greater attention to detail post the course.

Next Steps

  • Exploring scalability to making a standardized Indoor Navigation System.

  • Eliminating a physical and bulky wearable and integrating a seamless intervention or a physical form that blends with any type of clothing.

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