The Research on Blind Navigation System Based on RFID

Based on the investigation about daily activity characteristics and modes of the blind, the study found that the main difficulties encountered in a trip of the blind included walking on the road, finding way, taking a bus and looking for usual life-arena. After analyzing the research and application of actual blind navigation technologies, to solve the demands and difficulties in the blind trip, the study presents a blind navigation system based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), wireless and mobile communications technologies. The system consists of RFID tag, portable reader which can be integrated into the blind cane, mobile phone, Call Center and center information servers. Using this system, the blind are able to know their location, condition of roads, vicinity buildings, and inquire about the optimal routes to their destination and available vehicles. The technologies used in this navigation system are mature, which ensures the system is practical, universal and with perfect function.

[1]  Shraga Shoval,et al.  Mobile robot obstacle avoidance in a computerized travel aid for the blind , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[2]  Bohuslav Rychlik,et al.  Metronaut: A wearable computer with sensing and global communication capabilities , 2005, Personal Technologies.

[3]  Abdelsalam Helal,et al.  RFID information grid for blind navigation and wayfinding , 2005, Ninth IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC'05).

[4]  Abdelsalam Helal,et al.  Drishti: an integrated indoor/outdoor blind navigation system and service , 2004, Second IEEE Annual Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications, 2004. Proceedings of the.

[5]  S. Yaacob,et al.  Application of stereovision in a navigation aid for blind people , 2003, Fourth International Conference on Information, Communications and Signal Processing, 2003 and the Fourth Pacific Rim Conference on Multimedia. Proceedings of the 2003 Joint.

[6]  Xiao-Li Yang,et al.  Designing a personal guidance system to aid navigation without sight: progress on the GIS component , 1991, Int. J. Geogr. Inf. Sci..

[7]  Neal Lesh,et al.  Indoor navigation using a diverse set of cheap, wearable sensors , 1999, Digest of Papers. Third International Symposium on Wearable Computers.

[8]  P Blenkhorn,et al.  A system for enabling blind people to identify landmarks: the sound buoy. , 1997, IEEE transactions on rehabilitation engineering : a publication of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.