Cane Light Source Blinking Frequency Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing canes with light sources are difficult to distinguish from other light sources, making it hard for surrounding people to recognize that a visually impaired person is using the cane, especially at night due to the afterimage effect caused by constant lighting during swinging motion.
Innovation Solution
A cane with a controller that adjusts the blinking frequency and duty ratio of the light sources based on the user's swing speed and usage status, using multiple light sources of different colors and an acceleration sensor to suppress the afterimage effect and enhance visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the light source is continuously lit, then the cane is visible, but the afterimage effect makes it difficult to distinguish the cane from other light sources
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is configured to blink periodically rather than remain continuously lit. The controller adjusts the blinking frequency based on the user's movement speed, creating a dynamic lighting pattern that maintains visibility while preventing afterimage formation. This periodic action allows the cane to be seen while distinguishing it from stationary or differently moving light sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The blinking frequency of the light source is dynamically adjusted according to the user's movement speed. When the user moves faster, the blinking frequency increases, and when moving slower, the frequency decreases. This dynamic adaptation ensures the light pattern remains distinguishable from other light sources under varying usage conditions.
2Loss of information
If the blinking frequency is increased to reduce afterimage effect, then recognition is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an acceleration sensor to detect the user's movement speed and provides feedback to the controller, which adjusts the blinking frequency accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the light source blinks at the minimum necessary frequency to maintain recognition accuracy, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption from excessively high blinking rates when not needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The blinking frequency parameter is dynamically changed based on detected movement conditions. By adjusting this parameter according to actual usage scenarios, the system maintains optimal recognition accuracy while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding consistently high-frequency blinking.
3Loss of information
If multiple light sources of different colors are used, then the cane is more easily distinguished from other light sources, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cane incorporates multiple light sources that emit different colors (e.g., red, green, blue). These colored lights create a distinctive visual pattern that easily distinguishes the cane from other light sources. The color variation adds a recognizable characteristic that enhances identification while the controller manages the complexity through centralized control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it manages the blinking frequency, coordinates multiple colored light sources, and responds to acceleration sensor input. By consolidating these functions in a single control unit, the system achieves multi-functionality without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adjustable blinking frequency and duty ratio of the light sources on the cane improve recognition by surrounding people, even in low-light conditions, by minimizing the afterimage effect and distinguishing the cane from other light sources.
Implementation Method 1
a cane having a cane body, a light source installed in the cane body, and a controller that causes the light source to blink while changing a blinking frequency of the light source according to a use status of the cane body by a user
Data Source
AI summary
A cane includes a cane body, a controller, and a light source. The controller changes the blinking frequency F of the light source to blink the light source according to the usage situation of the cane by the user. The usage situation is the swing speed SP of the cane. The controller blinks the light source with a higher blinking frequency F the faster the swing speed SP of the cane. The acceleration of the cane is measured by the acceleration sensor, and the swing speed is calculated by a computing unit based on the measured acceleration.