Visually impaired pedestrians often need to rely on external cues to navigate terrain successfully. When crossing a sidewalk, they utilize aids such as tactile bumps on the road, audio crossing signals, and even assistance from others (or service animals). However, depending on the crosswalk, these aids may not be available or adequately maintained. Obstacles, noise, and sidewalk conditions can also reduce the effectiveness of these aids. We aim to create a head-worn device that will provide real-time vision-based guidance to visually impaired users, helping them cross roads and get to their destination safely and independently.
The device will help visually impaired pedestrians safely cross roads, including determining when the walk sign is on, ensuring that the user stays on the correct path while crossing the road, and alerting the user to unexpected conditions/obstacles. It will do this by converting visual information into clear and actionable prompts for the user. The device should also be able to provide general GPS directions using audio instructions and guide the user to a destination that is inputted to the device. A person should be able to walk to their destination using only our device and their ears, not their eyes!