Smart cane allows the blind to ‘see’

The prototype, which is actually made from a traditional white cane installed with several ultrasonic sensors, uses a small processor that works in a similar way to car parking sensors.A ball made from a 3D–printed housing secures an ultrasonic camera that can easily fit to the tip of any traditional white cane.{{quote-A:R-W:480-I:2-Q: The user is alerted to approaching objects using gentle audio, rather than waiting for the cane to physically bump into the object. Navigation is therefore easier and much faster, -WHO:Vasileios Tsormpatzoudis, PhD student at Manchester University}}mySmartCane measures the distance of approaching objects by itting audio signals, which has variances in frequency to determine the distance from an object.“The user is alerted to approaching objects using gentle audio, rather than waiting for the cane to physically bump into the object. Navigation is therefore easier and much faster,” Tsormpatzoudis explained.He said inspiration came from seeing his mother struggling from blindness due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP).“I have seen first-hand the struggle visually impaired people have to put up with when they try to navigate with the traditional white cane. mySmartCane allows visually impaired people to sense their environment beyond the physical length of their cane,” he said.Signals generated by the sensors are communicated through a single earpiece or a pair of bone-conducting headphones worn by the user.{{image3-a:l-w:400}}Tsormpatzoudis said that he constructed the prototype from low-cost and widely available materials in order to make it more accessible for people to use.He also uploaded detailed instructions on how to manufacture a similar device, including a list of all the necessary components.The current prototype is limited to detecting objects on a level plane and within the scope’s field of coverage, but Tsormpatzoudis is hoping to enhance the capabilities of the productww in the future by incorporating 3D audio feedback, a sensor that could detect road signs, overhead obstacles or a global positioning syst (GPS) sensor to allow users to plan trips ahead of time.