An Indigenous Smart Cane System For The Visually Impaired With Sound Clap Location Ability

Abstract

Guiding the visually impaired persons is always very tasking. Smart Canes previously designed for the blinds are relatively costly. Also, most of the available Smart Cane Systems used only remote control and buzzing methods for locating the cane if misplaced. However, no research work has handled how to locate the cane should the remote control itself be misplaced. This work designed an Indigenous Smart Cane System for the Visually Impaired with Sound Clap Location Ability. It is relatively less costly, easy to learn, and can be located by a natural means if misplaced. The system uses one ATMEGA328P Microcontroller which is programmed to control both input and output signals. It was designed with three low-cost 0.3m resolution HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensors to detect obstacles within the range of 2cm – 400cm in the front, left and right directions of the user and sends the current obstacle distance signal to the controller for processing. Receiving this signal, the controller determines which of the output devices (Piezo Speaker, Earphone and Vibrator Motor) to use and communicate the object distance to the user. In case the cane is misplaced, the user makes a sound clap which triggers the Sound Sensor to send signal to the controller for an audio feedback. This audio feedback is done by the Piezo Speaker. The system was programmed to use a very simple object – detection algorithm to help the user learn how to use the cane easily. This system has been tested and found to be relatively less costly, easy to learn and can be located with a clap sound.

Keywords: Sound-Clap Location Ability, Visually Impaired, Indigenous Smart Cane, Sensors, Audio Feedback; Object Distance; Microcontroller.