Implementation of Voice Assistive Smart Walking Stick for Visually Challenged Persons

Abstract

Nowadays visually challenged persons find difficult to walk on the road without taking other
persons help. So, this paper focuses on the Electronic Blind Mobility Aid that helps Blind
people travel by themselves using sensors mounted on a walking stick. The detector circuitry
consists of a set of IR (Infrared) sensor (Transmitter & Detector). When any obstacle is
detected, it signals the Arduino UNO, which in turn announces using the voice modulator that
is interfaced to the microcontroller. The stick is also constructed with copper electrodes at the
bottom to sense the wet (water) floor and provide a logic indication to Arduino UNO which
in turn announce the information through the voice module. Additionally, the Arduino UNO
unit is programmed to count and send the heartbeat rate of the blind person to the mobile
number registered through GSM. The stick also has an emergency button that needs to be
pressed in case the blind person needs immediate assistance. When required immediate
attention for the blind person this has to be pressed. Once the emergency button or key has
been pressed, the Arduino UNO traces the individual’s location through the GPS module and
transmits the information to the authorized mobile in the form of SMS.