MODIFICATION OF MICROWAVE MICROSTRIP ANTENNA DESIGN TO PRO- VIDE AURAL DOPPLER RADAR SIGNAL

PRESENT ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AIDS FOR THE BLIND USE EITHER ULTRASOUND OR LASER AS THE SENSING DEVICE. THEY ALSO PRO- VIDE AN ABSOLUTE REFERENCE RELATIVE TO THE USER WHICH MAY NOT BE THE BEST WAY OF INTERPRETING THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS PROPOSAL WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF AN ALTERNATE SENSOR, MICROWAVE, AND PRESENTATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT USING A DOP- PLER SIGNAL. DOPPLER MAY BE A BETTER METHOD OF DISPLAYING THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE ONLY POTENTIAL HAZARDS ARE DISPLAYEDTO THE USER. THE PROPOSED DEVICE MAY BE BEST USED AS SITU- ATIONAL AID FOR CROSSING BUSY MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC INTER- SECTIONS. THERE ARE NO REFERENCES TO DOPPLER SIGNALS BEING USED OR HAVING BEEN INVESTIGATED FOR USE BY BLIND PERSONS. CONTACT WITH SEVERAL RECOGNIZED LEADERS IN THIS FIELD INDI- CATE THAT A PROPERLY PRESENTED DOPPLER SIGNAL MAY HAVE POTENTIAL. IN ADDION, CURRENT ETA'S ARE VERY EXPENSIVE ($650 TO $3000). A MICROWAVE SYSTEM USING MICROSTRIP TECH- NOLOGY COULD BE COMPACT YET COST LESS THAN $250.