Sensor-Based Movement Guidance for Visually Impaired
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current guidance systems for visually impaired individuals, such as canes and guide dogs, are limited in providing comprehensive navigation and are reliant on human cooperation, restricting the pace and scope of movement, as they cannot offer feedback on the landscape or dynamic obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A user-guidance system incorporating sensors to measure weight distribution and provide visual data, which calculates and transmits movement instructions to actuators to direct the user's movements, enabling independent navigation with haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cane is used for guidance, then the visually-impaired person receives step-by-step obstacle guidance, but the movements are restricted in pace and scope due to reliance on human cooperation and the cane being a potential obstruction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cane system with a sensor-based electronic guidance system. Sensors detect obstacles and landscape features, processors analyze the data to determine safe paths, and actuators provide haptic feedback to guide the user. This substitution eliminates the need for human cooperation and removes the physical obstruction problem while maintaining reliable guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors as intermediaries between the visually-impaired person and the environment. The sensors detect obstacles, terrain features, and geographic locations, translating environmental information into data that the guidance system can process. This intermediary layer provides comprehensive environmental awareness without requiring human mediation.
2Ease of operation
If a guide-dog is used for guidance, then the visually-impaired person receives guidance in familiar settings, but the pace and scope are limited due to the guide-dog's training constraints and inability to provide landscape feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal guidance system that performs multiple functions: obstacle detection, terrain analysis, geographic location identification, and haptic guidance. The sensor array can detect various environmental features (obstacles, slopes, water bodies, vegetation) and the system adapts its guidance based on the specific environment, providing versatile support in both familiar and unfamiliar settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous feedback through sensors that monitor the user's movement and the environment in real-time. The system processes this data to provide ongoing haptic feedback via actuators, adjusting guidance based on the user's current position, speed, and direction. This closed-loop feedback system provides comprehensive environmental information and adaptive guidance.
3Reliability
If traditional guidance methods are used, then the visually-impaired person receives basic obstacle avoidance guidance, but comprehensive landscape feedback and independent navigation are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the environmental information into distinct segments detected by specialized sensors: obstacle detection sensors, terrain/slope sensors, water body detection sensors, and vegetation detection sensors. Each sensor type captures specific environmental features, and the processor integrates these segmented data streams to provide comprehensive landscape information and detailed guidance.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are generally described for methods, instructions, and applications for a user-guidance system. In some examples, the system may include sensors to measure current weight distribution of a user of the user-guidance system and to transmit resulting measured weight distribution data, a guidance apparatus to calculate a subsequent user movement based on at least the measured weight distribution data and to transmit resulting user movement instructions, and an actuator to produce actuating signals, based on at least the user movement instructions, that provide instructions for the subsequent user movement.