System, method and computer program product to assist the visually impaired in navigation

• US 9,384,679 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ishraq Alalawi
• Original Assignee: Ishraq Alalawi
• Inventors: Alalawi, Ishraq
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US13/676,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20140132388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 340/1.1, 340/4.1, 340/4.12, 340/4.13, 340/4.14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product that provides tactile feedback to assist a visually impaired person in navigation and avoid collisions with obstacles (objects). The system comprises a pressure based tactile response device and a remote control device. The pressure based tactile response device comprises of a pressure pad which includes a plurality of pressure modules that provide a haptic response to the visually impaired person. With a feedback mechanism the pressure based tactile response device provides navigational information to the impaired person and ensures that collisions with obstacles are avoided. The remote control device comprises a plurality of sensors which enable the impaired person to locate the pressure based tactile response device when it is not in his possession.

Claims

1. A method of providing a tactile response comprising:

computing, by a processing circuit, a detection region based on a radial distance and a central angle;

calibrating a pressure based tactile response device with a plurality of calibration parameters;

detecting a plurality of objects within the detection region by a plurality of sensors disposed on the pressure based tactile response device, the plurality of objects including moving objects and stationary objects;

computing, by the processing circuit, for each detected object of the plurality of objects, a bearing angle and a distance the detected object is disposed from the pressure based tactile response device;

calculating a plurality of unsafe regions based on the computed bearing angles and distances, each unsafe region having a radius that is determined based on a number of detected objects included in the unsafe region; and

triggering, in one of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation of the pressure based tactile response device, a plurality of pressure modules disposed on the pressure based tactile response device, to provide a tactile indication to a user of the tactile response device, the triggering being initiated based on the user approaching the unsafe region.

2. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, further comprising:

computing, by the processing circuit, an arc length based on the radial distance and the central angle.

3. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, further comprising:

computing by the processing circuit, for each detected object of the plurality of objects, a transformation of the bearing angle and the distance to a cartesian coordinate system.

4. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, wherein the detecting further includes detecting a hot object by a heat sensor of the plurality of sensors, and detecting the stationary objects and the moving objects by a radar sensor of the plurality of sensors.

5. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, wherein calibrating the pressure based tactile response device includes setting a detection time interval calibration parameter, and an activation distance calibration parameter.

6. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 5, wherein the detection time interval calibration parameter is a periodic amount of time after which the plurality of sensors disposed on the pressure based tactile response device are activated to detect object positions within the detection region.

7. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 5, wherein the activation distance calibration parameter corresponds to a minimum distance that the pressure based tactile response device is disposed from the detected stationary object in order to trigger a tactile response.

9. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, wherein the radius of an unsafe region of the plurality of unsafe regions has a magnitude equal to an activation distance calibration parameter set by the user of the pressure based tactile response device, based on the unsafe region including a single detected object.

10. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, wherein based on an unsafe region of the plurality of unsafe regions including at least two detected objects, the radius of the unsafe region has a magnitude equal to a distance measured from a centroid of the unsafe region to the detected object belonging to the unsafe region that is disposed furthest away from the centroid.

11. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 10, wherein the pressure based tactile response device operates in the first mode of operation based on the user of the pressure based tactile response device being disposed away from the centroid of the unsafe region by a distance greater than the radius of the unsafe region.

12. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 10, wherein the pressure based tactile response device operates in the second mode of operation based on the user of the pressure based tactile response device being disposed on a circumference of the unsafe region.

13. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 1, wherein in the first mode of operation of the pressure based tactile response device, the triggering is performed by applying a first pressure pulse having a first time duration to the plurality of pressure modules.

14. The method of providing a tactile response according to claim 13, wherein in the second mode of operation of the pressure based tactile response device, the triggering is performed by applying a second pressure pulse to the plurality of pressure modules, the second pressure pulse having a second time duration that is greater than the first time duration.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a program that when executed by a computer causes the computer to execute a method of providing a tactile response comprising:

computing a detection region based on a radial distance and a central angle;

calibrating a pressure based tactile response device with a plurality of calibration parameters;

detecting a plurality of objects within the detection region by a plurality of sensors disposed on the pressure based tactile response device, the plurality of objects including moving objects and stationary objects;

computing, for each detected object of the plurality of objects, a bearing angle and a distance the detected object is disposed from the pressure based tactile response device;

calculating a plurality of unsafe regions based on the computed bearing angles and distances, each unsafe region having a radius that is determined based on a number of detected objects included in the unsafe region; and

triggering, in one of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation of the pressure based tactile response device, a plurality of pressure modules disposed on the pressure based tactile response device, to provide a tactile indication to a user of the tactile response device, the triggering being initiated based on the user approaching the unsafe region.