Executive Summary The lack of vision (eye sight) is a loss of freedom to us, blind persons. We are dependent on other human beings for navigation in both indoor and outdoor areas. The white cane (The traditional cane) we use for navigation system used to help us (the blind and visually impaired people) to avoid the obstacles. When we, visually impaired persons, are using a walking stick, we gain a sense of our surroundings by waving our walking sticks and striking obstacles ahead of us, but it is not much more help for us to identify, what kind of obstacle posed ahead of us and to conquer it Public locations, such as a crowded business centers (like MERKATO), hospitals, universities, taxi and bus stations, are extremely difficult to navigate and can be become disorienting for those of us with visual impairments. Imagine having to navigate into MERKATO, the biggest market place in Africa, without the ability to see. Navigating through unfamiliar public locations has long been a source of difficulty for the blind. Since 1960 the use of technology in assisting the visually impaired has increased. Various groups have researched ways to improve the accessibility of public locations for individuals with disabilities. Over the years, many assistive navigational tools have been created and commercialized. However, almost every navigational tool invented since 1960 has been phased out as a project due to a couple of factors. One of the main factors was price. The prices labeled to theses assistive navigational tools were unaffordable by all blind people across the globe. However, the beginning of this year, 2014 exciting news for blind people was announced from India. An assistive navigational tool was developed by a team which is called as SMART CANE. This navigation aid, unlike previously developed aids, is by far cheaper and meant to be affordable particularly for the blinds and visually impaired individuals who are living in developing countries. This is a big opportunity for us. This proposal is to pursue that opportunity-the opportunity of a single SMART CANE costing only 50 USD. However, even though the SMART CANE is cheaper than the previous navigation aids, we Ethiopian blind people could not still afford the 50 USD price to buy the SMART CANE. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to provide your good company with technological and other dimensional information in the following sections about the SMART CANE and about us, blind and the visually impaired Ethiopians and ,thereby ,to seek financial support from your generous company to buy the Smart Cane from global market 1. Introduction There are more than 285 million people worldwide that have some level of visual impairment. Visual function can be classified by four tiers: normal vision, moderate visual impairment, severe impairment, and complete blindness. Legally blind refers to a person who has less than 20/200 vision in either eye, or a limited field of vision. While not all visually impaired individuals are completely blind, many of us (blind and visually impaired Persons) use walking sticks to navigate from place to place and to gain a sense of their surroundings. When we visually impaired persons are using a walking stick, we gain a sense of our surroundings by waving our walking sticks and striking obstacles ahead of us. Public locations, such as a crowded business centers (like MERKATO), hospitals, universities, taxi and bus stations, are extremely difficult to navigate and can be become disorienting for those of us with visual impairments. Imagine having to navigate into MERKATO, the biggest market place in Africa, without the ability to see. Imagine having to cross the new Bole high way roads and other high ways in Addis Ababa without the ability to see. Without asking others for help, these tasks are extremely difficult. These public spaces contain various distractions such as traffic noises and other people. For a visually impaired person, it can become difficult to determine what direction to travel without some form of guidance. Navigating through unfamiliar public locations has long been a source of difficulty for the blind. Since 1960 the use of technology in assisting the visually impaired has increased. Various groups have researched ways to improve the accessibility of public locations for individuals with disabilities. Over the years, many assistive navigational tools have been created and commercialized. However, almost every navigational tool invented since 1960 has been phased out as a project due to a couple of factors. One of the main factors was price. The prices labeled to theses assistive navigational tools were unaffordable by all blind people across the globe. However, the beginning of this year, 2014 exciting news for blind people was announced from India. A team from Indian Institute of Technology, computer science and engineering department has developed an assistive technology for blind people whom they call it a SMART CANE. This news was exciting for all blind people around the world not by the mere awareness of the technology being developed but it was exciting because the price is affordable(a single Smart cane costs 50 USD) specially for those blind people who are living in developing countries. 2. Opportunities and Independent Mobility challenges 2.1 Opportunities- The challenges of yesterday are the opportunities of today One hundred years ago, being visually impaired meant being condemned to a life of confinement and institutionalization. It was almost unheard of that visually impaired people undertake steps to become educated and employed. Often seen as helpless by society and as a burden by the family, they could only dream of having a family and living an independent life. As the years passed, many people have fought for our rights. They stubbornly stood up for us so that today, people like us (the blind and visually impaired) have the chance to live an independent life as freely as anyone else. The challenges of yesterday become the opportunities of today. As visually impaired people, we are taught to see life as a challenge; to face it and fight for our independence. This means to be persistent in what is important to us: equality and non-discrimination. Through this ongoing fight, many changes such as improved accessibility technology Braille and tools to help in daily living skills have aided us in showing the world that we can do the same things as anyone else. What was once perceived as a challenge has become an opportunity to demonstrate how far the visually impaired have advanced in todays society. Discrimination has always been a large challenge for a visually impaired person to overcome. It had never been easy but with the persistence of a few came the victory for many. Changes were made in our society because a few people refused to give up on something that meant so much to them. These changes have allowed the visually impaired person to become an equal to the average citizen as opposed to a minor. It has allowed us to compete with our peers instead of being passed over for a job or a seat in a prominent college. With new opportunities however, comes the challenge that these opportunities are not foolproof. With our technology comes a dependence on electricity, which is greater than anyone else and is limited to where we can access these technologies. It remains impossible for us to simply browse the books in a bookstore; the scanners needed to accomplish this are too large to transport for such a task. We need to face oncoming problems with the right attitude. Attitude is what has allowed us to meet challenges in the past and have them transformed into opportunities. Had Helen Keller not fought her way to a higher education and freedom, many of us following her might not had the courage to stand up for our freedom and independence. Had Louis Braille not spent years developing the Braille system, reading would still be a long and tedious chore. The people of yesterday have helped to shape our present and have given us the tools necessary to confront life with the necessary attitude to be successful. Thanks to them, we are no longer segregated and forced to live among our kind. We still have challenges on a daily basis. We must constantly deal with the pangs of discrimination and the injustices of those who fear us because we cannot see. Had it not been for those before us, however, many opportunities that we now enjoy would have been non-existent. 2.2 Independent Mobility Challenges 2.2.1 Indoor and outdoor mobility challenges A child with little or no vision will face two lifelong challenges: accessing the world of information; and navigating through space. Of the two, society has done a far better job of opening the world of information. The world has only begun to address the severe navigational limitations that confront the blind traveler. This is unfortunate because, of the two limitations, the loss of ones ability to independently move through the world is the more serious and has the greatest negative impact on human development. An entire cultural, governmental, and institutional infrastructure evolved to address the problem of communications accessibility for the blind learner. This is understandable because access to information is a right in a democratic country. There evolved a complex infrastructure to provide information for the sighted population. It had only to be adapted for the blind. There is no comparable cultural mandate for blind navigation. The sighted population can use vision to get safely across streets, through a grocery store, to and from school, etc. Whereas the problem of information access in the culture is common to both sighted and blind persons, the problem of mobility is not. Full participation in modern society requires mobility. It is so simple that most people take it for g ranted, but finding ones way across campus to a class, locating ones doctors office in a large medical center, or just walking down the street to meet a friend can be difficult or impossible for people with visual impairment. Existing aid such as the white cane is of great help, particularly in avoiding obstacles along ones way. However, it does not solve other key problems faced by visually impaired people especially for indoor navigation aids, including route planning, learning spatial layouts, and discovering landmarks or other points of interest. Imagine you are blind or severely visually impaired. You have an appointment with an orthopedic specialist in a large, unfamiliar medical complex, for instance Tikur Anbesa Hospital. The taxi drops you off at the main entrance. Using your white cane, you find your way into the lobby. You know that the doctor is in room 312, but you can’t read the printed signs and you don’t know the building layout. You are not even sure where the elevators are, and whether there are steps, furniture or other obstacles in the lobby. Although you are independent and determined to find your own way, despite the risk of getting lost or bumping into things, you wonder wistfully why modern technology can’t yet provide you with equipment to help guide you to your destination. This scenario shows the needs for navigations aids for the blind and visually impaired people and the difficulties faced by people with visual impairment for mobility. Independent travel through urban environments, including complex indoor spaces such as schools and office buildings, is an important prerequisite for full participation in modern society. We with visual impairment (including those who are bind and those with low vision) are threatened with reduced mobility, limiting our opportunities for education, employment, commerce, and social interaction. Existing navigation aid, such as the white cane, provides important help, specifically to avoid obstacles. However, there is a significant unmet need for navigation aids for indoor spaces. 2.2.2 Challenges in accessing public transport For a majority of us (blind and visually impaired persons), public transport is the only viable mobility option to seek education, work and social connectivity in Addis Abeba and other regions. We face major difficulties in independently accessing public buses particularly in Addis Abeba and other major cities, since we cannot read the route number and are unsure about the physical location of the bus and its entry/exit door. Despite constantly seeking help from sighted fellow travelers, we blind persons frequently miss the desired bus, are unable to reach the gate and get hurt in the process; causing fear and anxiety. A research has been conducted by Indian Institute of Technology, Computer Science and Engineering Department, under the title “A STUDY OF CHALLENGES FACED BY VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS IN ACCESSING PUBLIC BUSES”. During questionnaire-based interviews, all blind persons expressed that accessing public buses is a day-to-day problem and reported that seeking help from fellow sighted travelers, who often forget to assist or leave without informing, causing failure to board the desired bus. Blind persons mentioned that identifying and locating buses is extremely difficult when they are alone and where they depend on engine sound (causing false alarms), poke their white-cane against the bus body and trail till they locate the entry. On average, blind persons rated the anxiety of boarding a bus as 8 on a scale of 10 (where 10 implies “fear the thought of it”). Majority blind users reported getting hurt due to the bus suddenly increasing its speed. Blind women bus commuters expressed greater reluctance in seeking help from male fellow travelers and avoid travelling during non-office hours. 3 Smart Cane Among the many challenges faced by the visually challenged persons, as briefly discussed in the previous section, are the constraints of independent mobility. These stem from hazards while walking in an unfamiliar environment and accessing the public transport system. 3.1 . Independent Mobility The white cane is the most popular navigation tool used by the visually challenged. It enables us the blind persons to scan the area in front and detect obstacles on the ground such as uneven surfaces, holes, steps, walls etc. Its low cost, portability and ease of operation make it an extremely popular navigation aid. However, the cane has two major shortcomings: (i) In a practical setting, it can only be used to detect obstacles up to knee-level. Hence, potentially hazardous obstacles like protruding window panes, raised platforms and horizontal bars go undetected. (ii) The detection range of the cane is restricted to 1-2 feet from the user. Certain obstacles (e.g. a moving vehicle) cannot be detected till they are dangerously close to us. A few obstacle detection systems were available in the international market but none of them came at a price that is affordable for blind people in developing countries. Research indicates that there are 40 million blind people around the world and very regretfully all of the blind people live below the poverty line. We Ethiopian blind people are no exceptions. So affordability remained to be an obstacle to access these navigational technologies. However just to cite some navigational tools which were commercialized since 1960:- • The K-Sonar [K-Sonar, 2006] is priced at 1069 USD and • The Ultracane [Hoyle etal, 2006] costs 770 USD. Another mobility cane for the blind, [Elchinger, 1981] employs auditory output for conveying distance information. It is difficult to use because voice output masks other important auditory cues necessary for safety and orientation, e.g., sound emanating from an approaching vehicle. Thus, there is a need for a knee-above obstacle detection and warning system that provides distance information through a non-interfering stimulus and also comes at an affordable price 3.2 Smart Cane (Cane mounted knee-above obstacle detection and warning system) Cane mounted knee-above obstacle detection and warning system is a detachable unit that can be placed on one fold of the white cane. The device employs directional, ultrasound based receiver-transmitter technology to detect obstacles above knee height. The user obtains distance information through vibratory patterns that vary with changing obstacle distance. As the obstacle comes closer the vibration frequency increases incrementally. While walking, the user keeps the cane at a convenient inclination. As a result the ultrasonic detection cane is directed upwards and allows detection of knee-above obstacles. Preliminary data collected from users at the National Association for the Blind (NAB), Delhi indicates that on an average the cane makes an acute angle of 55 degrees with the ground. While walking, this angle varies between 50 to 60 degrees. Since this deviation is small, the detection zone is mostly stable. Vibrations are produced using a cell phone vibrator. Its low cost and easy availability make it suitable for our application. The following are the main features of the device. 3.2.1 User controlled detection range The system has two modes of operation which are selectable through the mode select button on the device. • Short Range Mode (< 1.00 m): Useful while navigating within a room • Long Range Mode (> 1.00 m): Used outdoors e.g. roads, parks etc. The detection range is divided into four sub-ranges for the Long Range Mode and three for the Short Range Mode. Each sub-range is associated with a unique vibratory pattern. Thus by recognizing the vibratory pattern the user can infer the obstacle distance (see table1, figures 2 and 3). e.g., If the unit is vibrating in pattern 3 in the long range mode, the user can infer that the obstacle distance is 1-2 m. Figure 1. Table 1: Division of Detection Range into sub-ranges and corresponding Vibratory Patterns Detection Zone Vibratory Pattern Obstacle distance (cm) Long Range Mode Short Range Mode I 1 3–50 3-30 II 2 50–100 30-60 III 3 100-200 60-100 IV 4 200-300 - Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. 3.2.2 Rechargeable Batteries The module runs on a standard Li-ion rechargeable battery. For charging the user connects an AC or USB adapter (similar to charging a cell phone). Different beep tones, produced from a buzzer, indicate conditions like low battery power, charging in progress and over-temperature conditions. At many public places like airports, shopping malls etc. there are charging zones which have charger leads for charging cell phones. In the long run, we visualize that there would be an additional charger lead for charging this device. 3.2.3 Detachable Unit The unit can be detached from the cane and used as a general purpose distance estimation device. An attachment mechanism was developed so that the user can attach the device to the cane without sighted assistance. 3.2.4 User Controls The power and mode select buttons are easily locatable and possess Braille markings for easy identification. In addition, since people have different skin sensitivities there is a knob to adjust the intensity of vibrations. 4 Experiments on Smart Cane 4.1 Detection of knee-above obstacles Experimentation was conducted in an unfamiliar environment possessing knee-above obstacles like a raised railing, side of a truck and the edge of a table. Volunteers did not have any prior knowledge about the identity or location of these obstacles. After initial familiarization with the vibratory patterns, users were instructed to walk till they detected the presence of an obstacle in their path. Two sets of observations were taken: first, with the system mounted on the cane and then only with the white cane. The starting position of the subject was changed before the second set of observations. Figure 5(a) illustrates that the user was able to detect the raised side of a stationary truck from a distance of 3m. Without the unit, the obstacle could not be detected until the user collided with it. Figure 5(b) shows that the major portion of the cane went underneath the side of the truck and hence failed to warn the user. Figure 5(a) Figure 5(b) Detection of raised side of a truck (a) With the unit mounted on the cane the user detects the obstacle 3m away. (b) Without the unit the user collides with the obstacle 4.2 Other Characteristics The unit can detect an object of thickness 3cm (minimum) at a distance of 3m. Since an ultrasound beam is used for ranging, obstacles like a glass or a liquid surface can also be detected. A fully charged battery lasts about 10 hours of constant usage before recharging (a) (b) Figure 6: (a) Path finding experiment, (b) User attaching the device to the cane 5. Conclusion Throughout the human life span, blindness, and particularly the inability to freely navigate, disrupts independence. This leads to decreased competence, economic dependence, depression, even failure of cognitive abilities to develop. Early and on-going training in orientation and mobility can have the opposite results; independence replaces dependence, jobs replace dependency, confidence and feelings of self worth replace depression and incompetence. Cognitive skills flourish rather than diminish. There is absolutely no doubt that navigational training is necessary and benevolent. Early tools and strategies open the doors for these benefits. New navigational technologies promise further development in the cognitive, self-sufficiency, and culturally productive domains. This trend will develop faster and reach more people if there exist a champion for these technologies. The new promise appears to be happening and we the blind people luckily enough about to exercise independent mobility with the help of navigational technologies. One very instance is the news that was announced from India, that Indian scientists have developed a cane mounted device that can detect obstacles in 3 meters range. This smart navigational technology is called SMART CANE. The Smart Cane is a dream come true with regards to independent mobility. The Smart Cane is now available on global market with a price tag of 50 USD and this price is deliberately meant to be affordable particular for those of blind and visually impaired persons living in developing countries. However, the fact that we Ethiopian blind persons living below poverty line, we could not still afford the 50 USD price tag. We, therefore, need financial assistance from governmental and non-governmental and international organizations here in our country, Ethiopia. Among the many head quarters we have in Addis Ababa,we picked your organization to financially support us import the Smart Cane from the global market. We, Ethiopian blind and visually impaired persons, kindly request you to buy the Smart Cane from international Market. 5.1 Contact points The Smart cane was developed by a professional team in Indian Institute of Technology, Computer Science and Engineering department. Department of Computer Science and Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi Block II-A, Hauz Khas New Delhi -110 016 India Phone: (91) (11) 2659-6033 Fax: (91) (11) 2658-1060 Email: [email protected] and 2National Association for the Blind, NAB Sector V, RK Puram, New Delhi-110 022 India Phone: (91) (11) 26102944 Fax: (91) (11) 26187650 Email: dipendra.manocha@gmail
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 13:26:13 +0000
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