[PA] area_A

[PA-16] Proposal for a negative obstacle detection system for visually impaired

*Ryo Endo¹, Yasunori Toyoda², Minami Tanaka³ (1. Graduate School of Shibaura Institute of Technology, 2. SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION, 3. Shibaura Institute of Technology)

Keywords:Negative obstacle detection, Visual impaired people, White cane

Visually impaired people typically rely on white canes or guide dogs. However, it is difficult for them to detect downward stairs, thereby sometimes causing accidents. With the advancement of technology in recent years, the development of systems to assist the visually impaired in walking has progressed; however, these systems have not yet been widely adopted as products. In this study, we developed a wearable negative obstacle detection system to assist visually impaired people in walking using an infrared ranging module based on interviews and previously reported issues. A total of 20 students used the developed device to demonstrate the ability of the system to detect downward stairs.