Personal Accomplishment
What did you personally accomplish this week on the project? Give files or photos that demonstrate your progress. Prove to the reader that you put sufficient effort into the project over the course of the week (12+ hours).
This past week, I completed the design report sections for Introduction, Architecture/Principle of Operation, Project Management, Related Work, and Summary. For the Introduction, I researched the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals in urban environments, including hazards like cluttered sidewalks and unexpected obstacles. I outlined how WalkGuard is designed to address these challenges through advanced technologies like radar for obstacle detection and an accelerometer for fall detection. The goal is to enhance the independence of visually impaired users while reducing the burden on caregivers by providing real-time alerts. In the Architecture and Principle of Operation section, I detailed the technical design of the system, particularly focusing on how the radar sensor detects obstacles and how the accelerometer triggers emergency alerts. I explained how these components integrate with the Raspberry Pi 4, which processes the data and provides real-time feedback to users and caregivers. I also included specific calculations for radar signal processing and time-to-collision estimates. For Project Management, I outlined the team’s schedule and individual responsibilities, including system integration timelines and testing phases. I also identified potential risks, such as inaccurate fall detection or Bluetooth connectivity issues, and proposed mitigation strategies, ensuring that the project remains on track. In the Related Work section, I conducted research on similar assistive technologies, such as wearable devices using haptic feedback and ultrasonic sensors, highlighting their limitations. This research helped justify the selection of radar for WalkGuard, as it offers superior performance in all-weather conditions and longer detection ranges. The Summary section synthesized the key benefits of WalkGuard, emphasizing how it improves mobility for visually impaired individuals and provides peace of mind for caregivers. I also outlined future steps for enhancing the system through extensive field testing and iterative development. I also finished the website functionality that connects the system to send alerts to caregivers, as outlined in the project’s emergency alert system. I demonstrated this by integrating the connection on the WebApp that transmits the emergency alerts triggered by the system.
Schedule
Is your progress on schedule or behind? If you are behind, what actions will be taken to catch up to the project schedule?
Currently, my progress is on schedule. I have completed the tasks planned for this week as indicated in our Gantt chart. To stay on track, I will begin working on the accelerometer integration next week as planned.
Upcoming Deliverables
What deliverables do you hope to complete in the next week?
- Start the accelerometer integration with the fall detection system to refine emergency alert accuracy.
- Ensure accurate emergency alerts with minimal false positives/negatives.
- Complete unit testing on the WebApp to ensure robust performance under various simulated fall detection scenarios.