Fuzzy-based human vision properties in stereo sonification system for the visually impaired

This paper presents incorporation of certain human vision properties in the image processing methodologies, applied in the vision substitutive system for human blind. The prototype of the system has digital video camera fixed in a headgear, stereo earphone and a laptop computer, interconnected. The processing of the captured image is designed as human vision. It involves lateral inhibition, which is developed using Feed Forward Neural Network (FFNN) and domination of the object properties with suppression of background by means of Fuzzy based Image Processing System (FLIPS). The processed image is mapped to stereo acoustic signals to the earphone. The sound is generated using non-linear frequency incremental sine wave. The sequence of the scanning to construct the acoustic signal is designed to produce stereo signals, which aids to locate the object in horizontal axis. Frequency variation implies the location of object in the vertical axis. The system is tested with blind volunteer and his suggestion in formatting, pleasantness and discrimination of sound pattern were also considered.