A Remote Vision Guidance System for Visually Impaired Pedestrians

Abstract

This paper presents research and development work on a novel system with a view of developing a navigation system for the guidance of visually impaired pedestrians. The prime aim of the new developed system is to enhance the mobility of visually impaired pedestrians using remote guidance provided by sighted person. However, the system can be used in many other applications. The system implementation is based on the integration of the Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographical Information System (GIS) database and a remote vision facility over the third generation (3G) of mobile networks, providing a technological platform enabling visually impaired pedestrians to be guided remotely by a sighted guide.

Navigation and space perception assistance for the visually impaired: The NAVIG project

“…More recently, another type of assistive devices based on remote guidance was proposed [11,12]. These devices are composed of two terminals; one for the blind user and one for a remote assistant connected via a GSM and Internet link.…”

Applications of location–based services: a selected review

“…Another navigation research project for the visually impaired is Remote Guidance System (RGS), which provides a visually impaired user with the remote assistance of a sighted guide. The user is equipped with a digital camera worn like a necklace around the user's neck, which sends images of the user's current location over a network connection to a remotely located sighted guide (Hunaiti et al 2006). The user is also equipped with a GPS device that provides an estimated location of the user to be displayed on a digital map for the sighted guide.…”

Using Remote Vision: The Effects of Video Image Frame Rate on Visual Object Recognition Performance

“…The currently established prototype of the system consists of two terminals [1,2,3]. One terminal is designed to be utilized by a visually impaired person receiving guidance while travelling (the user, the user's terminal) and the other is meant for utilization by a sighted person remotely guiding the user by means of the system (the remote sighted guide, the guide's terminal).…”