Empowering and conquering infirmity of visually impaired using AI-technology equipped with object detection and real-time voice feedback system in healthcare application

Abstract

The Internet of Things is emerging as a crucial technology in aiding humans and making their lives easier. Among the human population, a large percentage of people suffer from disabilities resulting in challenges in everyday life particularly people with visual disabilities. While several inventions exist to aid people with blindness in their everyday lives, the tools are not adequate in terms of accessibility and efficiency. Smart cane is a useful technology that is being researched and developed to enhance navigation of the visually impaired through smart obstacle detection. Moreover, artificial intelligence is being incorporated in these devices to provide users with a sense of vision and allow them greater independence. However, these devices are expensive and often do not contain the desired functionality in a compact single device. The research by I-CANe aims to create a low-cost, single device system that is equipped with obstacle detection and identification features to enhance navigation for users without using multiple detection devices. The cane will also incorporate wireless communications for safety features such as Global Positioning System tracking and Global System for Mobile communication to allow maximum independence of the user.