Blind Echolocation Device with Smart Object Detection

Sidra Abid Syed; Taha Mushtaq Shaikh; Fatima Aijaz; Nimra Mehmood; Shujaat Ahmed

Author(s)

Sidra Abid Syed Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Ziauddin University,Karachi,Pakistan

Taha Mushtaq Shaikh Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Ziauddin University,Karachi,Pakistan

Fatima Aijaz Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Ziauddin University,Karachi,Pakistan

Nimra Mehmood Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Ziauddin University,Karachi,Pakistan

Shujaat Ahmed Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Ziauddin University,Karachi,Pakistan

Abstract

Blindness is one of the world's biggest issues. According to the recent data of World Health Organization (WHO), 39 million of world's population is blind. World Health Organization (WHO) developed many polices, techniques and strategies to prevent blindness. Another organization is developed with the name World Access for the Blind under the leadership of Daniel Kish who is also a blind person but uses a technique of echolocation called flash sonar. Our idea is based on sensory substitution in which one sensory loss is substituted by the other. We proposed an innovative rehabilitation prototype device that uses a sonar sensor and a bone conduction speaker to perform and enhance the ability of human echolocation. The rehabilitation period can be longer and can vary from person to person. Furthermore we have also installed a smart system that can perform object detection and image to speech synthesis using Python with the help of smartphone camera during a live video streaming. Hence, this prototype device can navigate, echolocate and detect object in its environment. The proposed system is verified through different environmental inputs and objects. The proposed technique allows the blind individuals to perceive through ears and let them perform echolocation at the same time.

Publication Details

Page(s) 66-70

DOI DOI not available

Published Journal: Quaid-e-Awam University Research Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology, Volume: 17, Issue: 2, Year: 2019

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Keywords

Rehabilitation, Object Detection, Artificial Intelligence, Blindness, blind aid, echolocation technique, Python