Survey on obstacle detection and tracking system for the visual impaired

Survey on obstacle detection and tracking system for the visual impaired Abeer Mohamed Altegany Mohamed1, Dr.Mohamed Abaker Hussein2 1, 2

Telecommunication Engineering,Al- Neelain University,Khartoum, Sudan

Abstract— Vision is a beautiful gift to the human being by the god. The proportion of visually impaired and blind people in the world has become a very large. Therefore the researchers make difference devices to help the blinds and visually impaired to move successfully into the internal environment until the blind can discover the obstacles and the objects surround him and live easy like the human visual. In this paper, we present a survey of the tracking system of blind people highlighting various technologies design and working challenges and requirements of blind people.

The aim of this research is to provide a good understanding to make a suitable system in the future.

Keywords— ultrasonic, pit, infrared, water sensors, GPS, GSM, RFID, cell phone, zigbee.

I. INTRODUCTION As shown in many studies, mobility appears to be the most problematic issue in the visually impaired population. In the largest survey made in France by Ministry of Health, 59% report troubles in outdoor [1] and almost one-third of the whole visually impaired people confess not being able to travel by themselves. If we only consider subjects with severe blindness, these proportions significantly increase with about eight persons out of ten having strong difficulties. Navigation in the Visually Impaired population raise problems related to Orientation and Mobility (example. obstacle avoidance, maintaining consistent headings, estimating distances and angles). They can be classified into two main categories. Electronic Travel Aids (ETAs) are designed to improve mobility by detecting objects in the surrounding. They are usually based on ultrasonic or laser telemeters that measure the distance , and restitute distance information by tactile vibrations on the fingers or sound generation [2]. In order to improve autonomy, Electronic Orientation Aids provide the Blind with some degree of situational awareness and guidance in unknown environments. Until now EOAs are mainly based on GPS and Location Based Service.

II. LITERATURE SURVEY A.Sangami et al. [3] have designed a system for help the blinds. It's developed more than the traditional long cane, that help the blind and visual impaired without the need to help from the sighted person. The system consists of sonar sensor to aid the blind to avoid obstacle, GPS module to identify the location of the blind person, RFID is used in indoor since GPS can't be used in indoor and it can be installed in public building and integrated into blind person walking stick and every tag will be equipped with as much information concerning direction and location, GSM to send alert message to other people who responsible for the blind.

Kher Chaitrali S et al. [4] have suggested proposed navigation device which is focused on providing voice output for obstacle and the blind location. They are used an infrared sensor, RFID, and android device. The device is connected to android phone through Bluetooth. The system consists of hardware and software. In hardware have PCB unit and RFID sensor. In the PCB unit, there are (microcontroller, ADC converter, IR sensor, Bluetooth is used for wireless communication between PCB unit and android phone). In the software, there are blind user and monitoring user android application. The details in an application are IP address of the servers, contact number,

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authentication detail needs to be via Bluetooth discovery and also set the threshold value for the sensor. It receives its input from the PCB unit and provides vibration alert with speech output where ever the IR sensor across the threshold value. It has data base consisting of the information regarding the RFID and the corresponding location details when the RFID tag is read by the RFID sensor the information is sent to the application and then it searches in the data base and give speech output about the location. The monitoring user android application is used to find the location of the blind.

And the server is used to store the update location.

Ameer H.morad [5] has designed device for the blind based on GPS. Which is consist of GPS receiver, pic microcontroller, voice recorder, LCD, and headest. The micro converts the current location coordinates determined by GPS receiver to address. The specific voice is stored before in voice recorder chip related with the current position. In this project, the micro receive GPS fix data (GPGGA) that content the time, position, and other fix related data. From the GPGGA the micro extract the latitude and longitudinal component of position then send this information to LCD display is used by the designer in learning steps. It helps him to read the current position. Voice recorder to play voice message related with the current position. The blind used headest to hear it. The system tested in faculty, the device loaded with prototype information some building in the faculty.

Shruti Dambhre [6] has presented a theoretical model for blind. The system is designed to provide all measures. To achieve that the system consists of three unit: the GPS unit, the obstacle detection unit and artificial vision system. The GPS is used to determine the current location and the micro controller stored the data of the current location which it received from the GPS to compare with the destination location of the user. The artificial vision system is to identify objects moving ndependently in the place and to extract sufficient information from it which will later judge if the detected object poses any danger for the blind user. The objective can be achieved by series of key points.

K.C. Nalavade et al. [7] have designed obstacle detecting and tracking system. The system consists of two part: the first part is for sensing the obstacle by using ultrasonic sensor. And buzzer to alert the blind person. The second part is for tracking the location of the blind person by using GPS module and at the same time sending and SMS to the relative of the blind about his or her location by GSM module.

Piotr wawrzyniak et al. [8] have presented a wireless indoor positioning system developed as a part of complex solution aiding the blind in independent travel and mobility. The architecture of the proposed consist of local localization server, local database server, optional global localization server and smart phone to operate in a different wireless network and it used as a terminal system. The terminal to measure the strength of the signal transmitted by the system reference station inside building and pass the result to local positioning server to keep the information about the layout of the area it serves to store the reference measurement data and to compute the probable user location based on RSSI ## ( Received Signal Strength Indicator) one of the first indoor positioning systems.

The value reported by the terminal and responsible for communication with the global localization server and it used to deliver new positioning algorithm.

B.Amutha and M. Ponnavaikko [9] have discussed an algorithm for calculating the accurate location information is being integrated into the human walking model and in the visual impaired human walking model. We want to implement an accurate location tracking system using ZigBee along with GPS, we have integrated Markov chain algorithm for establishing accuracy. This accuracy is used for designing a virtual impaired tracking device so that the device use by the blind for finding the way without obstacles. The system can be applied outdoors especially for avoiding accidents.

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Akshay Khatri [10] has designed a system to solve the problem of the visual impaired and blinds.

Found the blind suffer from many problems like they cannot walk independently, cannot read text printed in books, cannot find local object required in their daily routine like keys and cannot navigate to the desired destination. The design consists of two parts: embedded device and three android applications. The embedded device helps in traveling independently and consists of (three ultrasonic sensors, four vibrator motors, one on/off switch and clibration button). The android applications help in reading, searching for local object wanted frequently and navigating to the desired destination.

G.Gayathmi et al. [11] have discussed a simple walking stick to help the blind and visual impaired to walk more confidently. The system consists of two part: simple walking stick with two sensors one of them is pit sensor is used to analysis any obstacle or pit present in the path. And water sensor is used to sense any water and after that, the signal of everyone is given to embedded system to give particular alert via buzzer and vibration. Are used GPS to determine the better location to be taken.

Dr. Boyina.S.Rao et al. [12] have presented the system that helps the blind person to navigate independently in the indoor environment. The system consists of the microcontroller, GPS receiver, ZigBee transceiver, ultrasonic sensor, keypad, and LCD. The GPS receiver used in this project that produced and interpret message with NMEA that provides the latitude and longitude value. ZigBee transceiver is the wireless protocol .its provided to the system using zigbee transceiver. It used to provide the continuous transmission of GPS value to the system.

K.Chandana, G.R.Hemantha [13] have presented device consist of two sections: transmission section carried by the blind person and it consist of a microcontroller, GPS receiver, voice module, wireless camera. The other section called receiving section to monitor the blind person by his or her relative family. It consists of computer RF receiver with antenna. The RF camera continuously transmits user staying location in the form of the video stream to RF receiver. It receives the video stream and displays it on the computer monitor. The receiving video on computer also contains the audio of the user.

M. Naveen Kumar and K. Usha [14] have discussed a system intended to provide overall measures – object detection and real- time assistance by Global Positioning System (GPS).The system consists of an ultrasonic sensor, GPS Module, GSM Module and vibratory circuit. This project aims at the development of an Electronic Travelling Aid (ETA) kit to help the blind people to find obstacle free way. This ETA is fixed to the stick of the blind people. When the object is detected near to the stick it alerts them with the help of vibratory circuit. The location of the blind is found using (GSM) and Global Position System (GPS).

Harsha Gawari and Prof. Meeta Bakuli [15] designed a system uses Global Position System and voice Recognition to avoid obstacles that it use for the purpose of guiding visually impaired. The blind human issues the command and receives the direction response using audio signals. The latitude and longitude value are received constantly, from the GPS receiver. The directions are given to the user with the help of audio signals. An obstacle detector is used to assist the user to avoid obstacles by sending an audio message.GPS receivers use NMEA standard.

JoĂŁo JosĂŠ, Miguel Farrajota, and et al. [16] have designed The core system is a wearable computer with a variety of location and tracking technologies, including global positioning system (GPS), inertial sensors, pedometer, RFID tags, a compass and RF sensors. Sophisticated sensor fusion is used to determine the best estimate of the user's actual location and orientation.

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III. DISCUSSION We will compare between all surveys in two part: The type of technology that are used and the device limitation. Most of them are used sensor to detect the obstacle surround the blind but the different between them in the type of sensor.

In [3], [7], [14] are used sensor to detect the obstacle. But in [3] are used sonar sensor, in [7] are used IR sensor and in [14] are used ultrasonic sensor. Where sonar sensor is better than IR and ultrasonic sensor because it has a longer range than them, uses time of light to measure the distance prefer than parallax measurement that it used by IR sensor and it can scan the environment until 4 meter. But it expensive than IR and ultrasonic sensor. But in [3], [7], [14] are used the same technology for tracking and determine the location of the blind are used GPS and GSM. But GSM is expensive. The limitation in outdoor.

In [4], [10] also are used a different type of sensor in [4] are used IR sensor, in [10] are used ultrasonic sensor is better than it. It has a longer range than IR. Are used applications android to give the information about the location of the blind. But in [10] there are two applications android for reading printed text and other to search for local objects that are used in main daily In [8], [9], [12] in additional to technology that is used to determine the location they are used with it, mechanism to make accurate in determining the location. In [8] are used RSSI for short range radio communication network. It does in indoor. But in [9], [12] are used zigbee protocol but it does in outdoor.

In [5], [6], [11], [15] are used GPS technology to determine the better path to be taken. But in [11] are used two ultrasonic sensors one of them to detect the obstacle and the other to sense any water. In [16] are used artificial vision system is to identify objects traveling independently in the scene and to extract sufficient information from it.

In [13] are used GPS and wireless camera the RF continuously transmits user staying location in the form of video stream to RF receiver.

In [16] are used all of the mentioned technology to do in indoor and outdoor and to estimate the location by more accurate.

IV. CONCLUSION This paper reviews the developments of the mobility aid, navigation and orientation technologies and the Devices based on these technologies.

In general the research work executed until now can be classified on the basis of: 1-Ultrasonic or infrared sensor for detecting the obstacles.

2- Different technique to tracking the blind like: - GPS is used to determine the location of the blind also the blind can know where are him via the audio signal.

- GSM is used to send a message to his relative to tracking the blind by this way they can know his location.

- RFID is used to determine the indoor location where the GPS determine the outdoor location.

-camera.

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[13] K.Chandana, G.R.Hemantha., “Navigation for the Blind Using GPS along with Portable Camera Based Real Time Monitoring”, SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering (SSRG-IJECE) – volume1 issue8 Oct 2014.

[14] M. Naveen Kumar and K. Usha, “Voice Based Guidance and Location Indication System for the Blind Using GSM, GPS and Optical Device Indicator”, International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology, Vol.4 No.7, July 2013.

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