Augmented Indoor Modeling for Navigation Support for the Blind

In this paper we present a concept for a wide-ranging indoor navigation support for the blind and people with impaired vision. Parts of this work were realized within a new prototype of an indoor navigation and object identification system for the blind. With the previous orientation assistant it is possible for blind persons to orientate themselves and to detect objects within modeled indoor environments. By pressing keys, the user’s inquiries concerning their environment are acoustically answered through a text-to-speech engine. The previous system’s limitation was that it was necessary to hit an object precisely using a picking ray within a 3D model in order to allow proper object identification. Our new prototype now includes the option to receive augmented navigation hints automatically just by walking in virtual corresponding navigation areas.