A Navigation and Object-Location System to Assist Blind and Low-Vision Individuals in Indoor Environment

The overall goal of this multi-phase project is the development of a system that will help individuals orient themselves and safely navigate in vocational environments. The system will also be designed to assist individuals in finding and identifying items and objects. Various strategies and technologies have been introduced to provide navigation assistance, including devices that support audio prompts or refreshable Braille "displays" that support Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Unfortunately, GPS signals do not work in all locations to which individuals wish to go. Traditional methods to help identify items include Braille labels or other tactile markings, which may be difficult to locate and convey a limited amount of information. Talking bar code readers present additional challenges and will soon be replaced by an electronic ID "tag" known as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to reduce costs. This project will demonstrate the technical merit, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of combining ground-breaking RFID technology with an innovative approach and state of-the-art software to deliver a system capable of removing barriers in vocational settings. Specific Phase I objectives include: (1) determine end user requirements, (2) develop a proof-of-concept prototype of the system, and (3) evaluate the utility of the prototype with actual individuals who are blind or visually impaired