Indoor Navigation for Visually Impaired / Blind People Using Smart Cane and Mobile Phone: Experimental Work

Abstract

This paper suggests a navigation structure for visually impaired/blind people. The proposed structure is consisted of builder simulator, smart phone with built-in compass and cane. The aim is to guide visually impaired/blind people from a required location to a desired location. Multi tests are run where modeled in C sharp and java languages and MATLAB program using A* algorithm. Experimental results show good performance for the proposed scheme that the visually impaired/blind people reach the desired location successfully without error. In conclusion, A* path finding algorithm using C sharp language for builder simulator, and java language for smart phone, were valid and reliable methods to guide the visually impaired / blind people from a required location to a desired location in indoor environment with or without obstacles.

Keywords: Smart phone, built in compass, cane, planning the path, avoidance obstacles, visually impaired/blind people, A* algorithm, path finding, and indoor navigation