Design and Evaluation of Smart Wheeled

Cane for Visually Impaired

Individual
Rationale

Assistive technologies are inventive gadgets that can help restore or

improve work in people who have developed in sufficiency due to sickness,

damage or maturing. Assistive innovation without a doubt fills a critical

requirement for individuals encountering insufficiencies today. It helps

individuals who experience issues in talking, composing, recalling, pointing,

seeing, hearing, strolling and numerous different things.

Visually Impaired people are generally the ones who are influenced by

the ecological perils that oppose their sharpness and ability to see

specific circumstances inside any short glimpse. The results of vision

insufficiency are being unbearable about security while moving around

autonomously. People with visual prevention have numerous challenges in

self-course in new outdoors situations.

Various sensors were made to help visually impaired people that built

up their own being as they live, for example, social aptitudes, relational

abilities, self-assurance and independency.

Figure. 1 Studies for other smart canes

The researchers propose an instructive assistive strategy expecting to give

the entrance to instructive mechanical technology exercises to people with

visual disabilities or low vision.

This study focused more about on developing an assistive technology

through the use of robotic sensors for the benefit of a person who is visually

impaired that help them be guided into the direction they are going into and be

alarmed on the possible hazardous things or situation that the person might

go through. The sensor will detect on the possible danger or obstacle that the

person is facing and an auto buzz for the direction to be guided.

System Architecture was divided into two parts; it involves the mobility

aid of hardware and software parts that perform three functions: sensing,

processing, and feed backing to the user. For the hardware architecture, it

consist a process of the system prototype of cane, where in the researchers

used cane and attached the scooter wheels to it for an easier manipulation to

the users. For the software architecture it involves the systematic models for

the wires and connection of the sensors is arranged.

One of sensor that is used by the researcher is the ultrasonic sensor or

the HC-SR04 that utilizes the sonar to measure the distance to an item. It

offers great non-contact range location with high accuracy and stable

readings in a simple to-utilize bundle. Ranging from 3cm to 400 cm or 1" to 13

feet and allowance of 30 degree angle each side of the object.

The HC-SR04 is consisting of a transmitter and a receiver that allows

the sound waves of the sensor bounce back when obstruction paths block its

path. It measures double the distance as the actual distance which the
researchers will have to vary through the methodology by measuring the

significant difference between the actual distance and the measured distance.

With the help of ANOVA and t-test statistical tool, the researchers will be able

to determine the sensor’s accuracy before testing it to actual visually impaired

individuals.

Research Questions

The primary purpose of this research is to provide a prototype walking

aid that can be used by the visually impaired individuals in getting around. In

doing so, the researchers were focusing on three main components of the

Smart Wheeled Cane design process namely updating the basic mechanics

of the traditional walking cane, integrating Arduino Robotics technology in

order to make it “smart” and the testing of the said prototype on how accurate

it is in aiding our fellow visually impaired brothers and sisters. Specifically, the

Smart Wheeled Cane will help the answer the ff.

1. How effective is the SWC in detecting and alerting the users in

terms of measured distance from the following moving

obstructions:

a. Wood;

b. Plastic;

c. Human body;

d. Glass;

e. tile
 2. Is there a significant difference on the effectiveness of the SWC

in detecting and alerting the users for various obstructions

mentioned above?

3. Is there a significant difference on the effectiveness of SWC in

detecting and alerting the users in terms of actual distance and

the measured distance?

Hypothesis

Ho1: There is no significant difference on the effectiveness of the SWC

in detecting and alerting the users for various obstruction mentioned:

a. Wood;

b. Plastic;

c. Human Body;

d. Glass;

e. Tile

Ho2: There is no significant difference between the effectiveness of

SWC in detecting and alerting the users in terms of actual distance and the

measured distance.

Engineering Goals

In this research study the goal is to come up with a new prototype for

the assistive walking cane that is specifically designed for visually impaired

individuals. This proposed prototype of the cane is an enhanced model of the

other canes that were developed before or any assistive type technology that

aid the visually impaired people. The wheels attached to the cane can easily

help the individual stroll around casually along with the sensors in the cane; it

can guide that individual to avoid hazardous objects that can cause physical

damage. Basically a newly-enhanced prototype will be assembled by the

researchers to help visually impaired individuals to help them conquer

obstacles their facing in their day to day life due to their condition.

For specific goals, the researcher aims to test the accuracy of the

sensor through the significant difference of the actual distance to the

measured distance of the sensor. It helps the researchers determine how

accurate the sensor is in detecting such obstruction paths such as the wood,

plastic, human body, glass and tile. Through this part of methods and

procedure, the researcher will also know which said obstructions is the sensor

more effective in detecting with the help error%, with this, assurance for an

effective SWC will be achieved.

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcome of this research is to assemble a newly-

enhanced prototype walking cane for visually impaired individuals. The

expected outcome of the cane is to work properly in terms of detecting

hazardous objects approaching the individual while using it. The wheels under

the cane can swiftly guide the individual when strolling around the sensors will

do all the work in detection of objects. The last expected outcome is to

contribute to these visually impaired individuals to improve their performance

when it coming to facing daily obstacles in the outside world and to boost their

confidence despite this condition in their eyes.

Procedures

This chapter described the procedure in the study. The Testing

and the whole experiment was done by dividing the procedures into 4

phases as shown in the figure below.

Phase 1  Prototype Design and

Fabrication
System Architecture
 Robotics Hardware

Phase 2

SWC Functionalities

Phase 3  Stationary
Obstruction Detection
Range Finding and  Moving Obstruction
Accuracy of infrared Detection
sensor

Phase 4

Statistical Tool

Figure .2 Flowchart
Phase 1: System Architecture

The mobility aid is composed of hardware and software parts that

perform three functions: sensing, processing, and feedbacking to the user.

This chapter describes how the hardware and software components perform

these functions.

1. Prototype Design and Fabrication

1.1 The Cane

One of the significant materials that this study will use is the walking

cane that will be bought by the researchers from Mercury Drug Store Malibay

in Pasay City.

The researchers will be detaching the rubber tip of the cane in order to

insert the wheels. The wheels will be used for easy mobility in the level road.

It makes the cane move forward, sideward or backward depending to the

desire of the user. The wheels were obtained from the junkshop, originally

used as scooter wheel. It will be attached at the tip of the walking cane using

metal bolts and screws

Figure.3 Drilling of the cane Figure,4 Cane with wheels prototype

 2. Robotics Hardware Used for Obstruction Detection

1.1 Gizduino Microcontroller

The researchers used the Gizduino microntroller that has USB port

which will help the researchers connect it to a computer easily. It also serves

as a micro controller to mount the sensor HC-Sr04 and the buzzer to the

Gizduino. The researchers will use a scratch arduino program.

Figure .10 Gizduino Microcontroller

1.2 Ultrasonic Sensor

The ultrasonic sensor is used for obstacle detection. Ultrasonicsensor

transmits the ultrasonic waves from its sensor head and again receives the

ultrasonic waves reflected from an object. Below is a simple working principle

of how an ultrasonic sensor is being used in this paper.

Figure .11 HC-sr04 Ultrasonic Sensor

 2.3 Connecting wires

The connecting wires or Jumper wires will be used by the researchers

to connect the sensor HC-sr04 and the buzzer to the respective pins of the

gizduino microntroller for a better prototype in assembling the sensors.

Figure .12 Jumper Wires

2.4 9V Lithium Power Supply

The researchers used the 9V lithium power supply to achieve the

desirable portable smart wheeled cane where in the user can easily charge

his/her sensor box without disassembling all cane. The accumulated sensors

are enough for a 9V battery.

Figure. 13 Lithium Battery

 2.5 Breadboard

The breadboard enables the researchers to create an easy and quick

circuit designs for the buzzer to be connected to the Gizduino Microcontroller.

The connecting wires that is inserted to the breadboard is connected to the

pins of the gizudino to create more space to the boz containging all of the

sensors including the HC-sr04.

Figure .13 Breadboard

2.5 Buzzer

The buzzer that was used function as an determining sound signal that

will let the user know that there are approaching obstacles in his/her way

depending on a given distance.

Figure .14 Buzzer

3. The Feedback System

The researchers will be using a buzzer that is attached also in the

Arduino Uno microcontroller. This device will alert the cane’s user to

obstructions in their path. The Arduino analyzes data from the ultrasonic

sensor, and it is this data that is sent to the buzzer in the form of sound signal.

B. The Smart Wheeled Cane Functionalities

The researchers used the gizduino microncontroller as the main

program to all of the sensors including the HC-sr04 and to the buzzer. The

HC-sr04 is connected to the qizduino microcontroller through the connecting

wires for the eyes of the infrared sensor will be placed outside the box. The

buzzer is attached to a breadboard and is connected to the Gizduino trough

the connecting wires to create space for the box.

Figure .15 Gizduino sample connections

After assembling the sensors, the researchers had to take note the

pins where ucc, trigo, echo and GND in the HC-sr04 conneted to the

Gizduino for it to be identified when program. The pins where the buzzer is
attached to the breadboard must also be connected to the pins in the

Gizduino with space in-between to avoid short circuit.

Figure. 15 Naming pins

The connecting pins played an significant role especially in naming the

sensors and it’s uses when it comes to programming all the sensors shown in

figure above.

If the Smart Wheeled Cane is moving forward and detects an

obstruction, the device will alert the user to stop by sending a sound signal to

the user’s ears through a wired earphone. The device then will aid the user to

determine which direction has no obstruction and signal user to move in that

direction. If no safe direction is possible, the device continues to signal to

stop and the cycle continues.

By performing a search of available directions, the Smart Wheeled

Cane will move autonomously in an obstruction free direction as described in

figure 16 below.
 Figure 16. Approaching obstacle Obstruction

The technology behind the Arduino smart cane is straightforward.

Below is the block diagram of how the Smart Wheeled Cane works.

Gizduino buzzer

Figure .17 Block diagram

There are mainly three blocks behind it: input, controller, and output.

The input consists of an ultrasonic sensor that is capable of detecting

obstruction in front of it at a range of up to about 500cm. It will be interfaced to

the Arduino, which determines if an obstruction is too close to the cane and

triggers the output if it is. The output consists of wired earphone.

The researcher will be using a meter stick in determining the actual

distance of the obstruction and the SWC in measuring the measured distance.

The researcher will be using the distance formula given below:

 C. Range Finding and Accuracy of Ultrasonic Sensors

To measure the success of the Smart Wheeled Cane design, Range or

distance and accuracy tests will be conducted to see how the cane would

detect objects. In particular, these tests check the detection capabilities of the

ultrasound given the design and position of the cane. These tests are

necessary because they can provide an indication of the situations in which

the Smart Wheeled Cane will perform inadequately.

1. Stationary Obstruction Detection

The cane will be placed in the same way it would be if a visually

impaired person will hold and that the ultrasound sensor is opposite and

perpendicular to the obstruction as shown in the figure 18 below.

Figure .18 Ultrasound sensor: the transmitter and reviever

A direct comparison will be made by placing objects at different

distances from the cane and comparing the observed distances with the

distance readings outputted by the sensor. The sensor will be tested at

distances ranging from 2 to 500 centimeters, with an average percent error of

0.20% and a maximum error of 1 centimeter.

 2. Moving Obstruction Detection

A small remote-controlled car will be moving past the ultrasound

sensor at 0.8 meters per second. The car will be set at various

distances away from the ultrasonic sensor in increments of 20

centimeters.

Risk and Safety

The risk in handling the Smart Wheeled Cane (SWC) is in an

electrical form, in other terms a short circuit might occur while handling the

cane. Yet proper attire is adviced to the user of SWC, by means of proper

attire, the user must wear gloves and safety goggles while using the SWC to

prevent on getting electrocuted due to occurunce of short circuit. This step is

important during the usage of the cane to give safety to the user while

handling it.
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