Smart Walking Stick for Visually Impaired

Abstract

Current walking stick design unable to offer the blind and visually impaired a level of independence that can be achieved with modern technology due to its primitive design. Therefore, this paper proposed a Smart Walking Stick prototype by increasing security and usability of the stick while ensuring an affordable price for an older and lower income demographic. The propose prototype used an ultrasonic sensor to detect potential obstacles from a longer distance from the stick, vibrating motors used to alert users on the obstacles through haptic feedback with buzzer that produced sound, a comfortable handle added to increase the stick's comfort and ease, and a mini GPS (Global Positioning System) used to receive and identify the blind user (longitude / latitude). Observations and basic testing confirmed the effectiveness of the handle vibrations and ultrasonic sensor accuracy up to 1.0 meters from the walking stick end.