Kanwal, N and Bostanci, E and Currie, K and Clark, AF (2015) 'A Navigation System for the Visually Impaired: A Fusion of Vision and Depth Sensor.' Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, 2015. ISSN 1176-2322

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Abstract

For a number of years, scientists have been trying to develop aids that can make visually impaired people more independent and aware of their surroundings. Computer-based automatic navigation tools are one example of this, motivated by the increasing miniaturization of electronics and the improvement in processing power and sensing capabilities. This paper presents a complete navigation system based on low cost and physically unobtrusive sensors such as a camera and an infrared sensor. The system is based around corners and depth values from Kinect's infrared sensor. Obstacles are found in images from a camera using corner detection, while input from the depth sensor provides the corresponding distance. The combination is both efficient and robust. The system not only identifies hurdles but also suggests a safe path (if available) to the left or right side and tells the user to stop, move left, or move right. The system has been tested in real time by both blindfolded and blind people at different indoor and outdoor locations, demonstrating that it operates adequately.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Divisions:	Faculty of Science and Health > Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, School of
Depositing User:	Jim Jamieson
Date Deposited:	17 Sep 2015 14:42
Last Modified:	30 Mar 2021 19:15
URI:	http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/14944

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