| Summary: | Assistive Navigational Systems play a paramount role in assisting blind and or visually impaired individuals (BVI) with their movement and mobility. These systems are essential for both local and global navigation tasks such as identifying a specific location, identifying a specific object in a room eg. empty chair and then moving to it and safely sitting down on it. Most assistive navigational tools used by BVIs are the white cane and walking stick. Their proper use is critical to ensure independence and healthy social interactions among BVI.
Learning to use a white cane or walking stick has its own set of challenges and difficulties. As outlined by a journalistic report [1], users of walking canes found it difficult to get around certain people or locating certain objects. It is unsurprising that only 2 to 8 % of those who are visually impaired use a walking cane/stick. The rest rely on other people, guide dogs and their usable vision.
The severe under use of assistive navigational systems amongst BVI presents a gap which this project aims to address. This project utilises an omnidirectional mobile robot platform. [2] The robot has an intelligent handle that users can hold onto. The handle vibrates and provides haptic feedback in accordance to the path it is travelling. In this manner it can guide BVI users along the planned optimal path while avoiding obstacles. By comprehensively assisting BVI users in a human centric manner, this project aims to improve the quality of life of BVI individuals.
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