Auditory Cue System for Visually Impaired Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Visually impaired individuals face significant challenges with mobility and understanding their surroundings, as they rely on mental maps and non-visual cues to navigate environments effectively.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising primary and secondary units, where the secondary units emit unique sounds when actuated, and the primary unit receives and evaluates these sounds to provide audible cues, helping visually impaired individuals to create and refine mental maps of their environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If visually impaired individuals rely on mental maps and non-visual cues to navigate, then they can maintain some level of independence, but their mobility and understanding of surroundings remain significantly challenged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent mobilityVSAvoidunderstanding of surroundings

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of secondary units placed in the environment and a primary unit carried by the user. These units mediate between the physical environment and the visually impaired individual, translating spatial information into audible cues that enhance mental map formation and navigation capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces visual mechanical sensing (sight) with acoustic sensing (hearing). By substituting the visual channel with auditory channels, the system enables visually impaired individuals to perceive spatial relationships and navigate effectively without relying solely on limited non-visual cues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If the system uses multiple secondary units to provide comprehensive environmental feedback, then navigation accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenavigation accuracyVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the navigation system into multiple independent secondary units distributed throughout the environment and a central primary unit. Each secondary unit is simple in design, containing only basic sensing and communication components, while the primary unit handles the complex processing and decision-making algorithms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each secondary unit operates autonomously, independently detecting its position and communicating with the primary unit. The units self-organize to provide comprehensive environmental coverage without requiring complex centralized control, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high navigation accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12274664B1System and method for improving mental mapping skills for enhanced orientation and mobility for the visually impaired

Publication Date: 2025.04.15 HEKIMIAN CHRISTOPHER

AI summary

Embodiments are provided for to a system, computer program product, and a method to support surveying a physical environment. Two or more secondary units are physically configured to receive a physical actuation. In response to the actuation, the secondary unit(s) are configured to emit an audible cue and to communicate an address of the actuated unit. Tools are provided to track the actuation and associated addresses, and in an embodiment lapsed time.