Eyes of the Blind: An Arduino Uno Motion-based

Smart Stick for the Blind utilizing an Ultrasonic Sensor

Research Paper

ROBOTICS

TEAM CATEGORY

Irlanda, Karl Andrew Nikolie

Tuban, Shandy Mae

Truita, Fritz Andrei

Student Researchers

Mrs. Mary Joycen A. Vineles

Research Adviser

Dauin Science High School

Division of Negros Oriental

September 2023
 ABSTRACT

Smart stick for the blind is an assistive device that can help guide visually impaired

people. However, their use hasn’t been seen even at these times of advancement in technology

despite the benefits it can provide. This study focuses on the development and advantages of a

smart stick for the blind which specifically serves for visually impaired people..

The smart stick utilizes a high-conductance ultrasonic sensor module to detect and

respond to obstacles/objects within a range of one to 80cm. The collected data reveals that the

sensor consistently detected the presence of objects or obstacles in all trials, achieving a

remarkable success rate of 100%. It is worth noting that the sensor is much more capable of

detecting object or obstacles that has a wide surface area.

The findings of this study suggest that the Smart stick is a promising and helpful device

that can be used by visually impaired people in their transportation from one place to another.

However, more components and functions to be added may be necessary to improve the smart

stick’s purpose of assistance for visually impaired individuals.

By integrating the smart stick, visually impaired people can benefit from it and also help

ease their problems with transportation. As the stick offers convenience for visually impaired

people helping them travel using its functions.

i
 Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 1

Significance of the Study 2

Statement of the Problem 2

Hypotheses 3

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 4

METHODOLOGY 7

Research Design 7

Location and Duration of the Study 8

Flowchart of the Procedure of the Whole Study 9

Materials 10

Equipment 10

General Procedure 10

Risk Assessment 12

Proper Disposal 12

RESULTS 13

DISCUSSIONS 16

CONCLUSIONS 18

RECOMMENDATIONS 18

REFERENCES 20

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 21

APPENDICES 22

Documentation 23

ii
 Required Forms 26

Research Plan

27

iii
INTRODUCTION

In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, there is a growing emphasis on

enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Particularly, those with visual

impairments encounter distinct challenges when it comes to independent mobility. According to

the World Health Organization (2021), approximately 2.2 billion people globally experience

varying degrees of visual impairment, with 1 billion among them facing moderate to severe

vision issues.(World Health Organization, 2021)

Traditionally, people with visual impairments have relied on white canes to help them

detect obstacles and gain some independence. However, as we move further into the digital age,

it's crucial to explore new solutions that can empower individuals with visual impairments to

navigate their surroundings more effectively. This research project focuses on creating and

evaluating a smart stick based on the Arduino Uno platform, which comes equipped with an

ultrasonic sensor. This smart stick offers a promising alternative to the traditional white cane.

Smart sticks and electronic travel aids (ETAs) have gained attention recently for their potential to

transform mobility for people with visual impairments. These devices use cutting-edge

technologies like ultrasonic sensors, microcontrollers, and systems that provide tactile feedback

to detect obstacles and give real-time information to users (La Grow, et.al. 2006).

In this study, the researchers goal is to figure out how effective and user-friendly our

Arduino Uno-based smart stick is in helping people with visual impairments move around and

gain more independence. Researchers will conduct trials, and analyze the results to see how

practical and beneficial this innovative assistive device is.

1
 Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to the field of assistive technology by

thoroughly evaluating a low-cost, open-source solution that has the potential to improve the lives

of millions of people with visual impairments.

Significance of the Study

This study focuses on the development and benefits of a smart stick that caters to people

with visual impairments, and old people with difficulties of sight. People with visual

impairments face difficulties in moving from one place to another or going to which ever

destination they want to, but the smart blind stick offers a practical solution. By utilizing motion

sensors, the stick detects the presence of obstacles and alarms notifying visually impaired people

without them having to use a crane to just check for surrounding objects or obstacles. This not

only enhances convenience for transportation but also fosters independence and self-sufficiency

for visually impaired people. Similarly, for aging individuals who may experience visual

difficulties, the smart blind stick provides them relief and guide them if ever they move from

one place to another. Its motion sensor technology eliminates the need for physical contact,

reducing the risk of injuries and eliminating the need to exert a distinct amount of effort just to

check for obstacles nearby or surroundings. Furthermore, the smart blind stick will help visually

impaired people and old people with visual difficulties drastically with its touchless operation,

the smart blind stick will provide services like eyes or accompany to such people who needed

accompany from others.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to develop a smart stick for the blind. Thus, the following questions

were investigated in order to successfully develop the smart blind stick:

2
 1. Is there any significant relationship between the distance of the obstacle from the motion

sensor and the success rate of detection?

2. Is there any significant relationship between the surface area of the obstacle and the

success rate of detection of an obstacle?

3. What other factors can cause failure of detection?

Hypothesis

H₀: There is no significant relationship between the distance of the obstacle from the

motion sensor and the success rate of detection.

Hₐ: There is a significant relationship between the distance of the obstacle from the

motion sensor and the success rate of detection.

H₀: There is no significant relationship between the s urface area of an obstacle and the

success rate of detection.

Hₐ: There is a significant relationship between the surface area of an obstacle and the

success rate of detection.

3
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A survey by WHO (World Health Organization) carried out in 2011 estimates

that in the world, about 1% of the human population is visually impaired (about 70 million

people) furthermore, among them, about 10% are completely visually impaired (around 7

million individuals) and 90% (around 63 million individuals) with low vision (Tirupal et al.,

2021). Such individuals needs the guidance of other people who has good vision in order to

properly move from one place or another or other times these people would use a wooden crane

to guide them but would be inefficient.

The integration of the smart stick will be beneficial to people with visual impairment in

ways like making them more self sufficient and independent, having no more need to have

assistance from others. Traditionally, a smart blind stick consists of three important parts: the

command-giving component, the sensor, and the buzzer. Firstly, the command-giving component

can be described as the mastermind of the whole robot. An example of a command-giving

component is the Arduino Uno, Arduino is an open source programmable circuit board that can

be integrated into a wide variety of makerspace projects both simple and complex. This board

contains a microcontroller which is able to be programmed to sense and control objects in the

physical world (Makerspaces, n.d.). The Arduino being inexpensive and low cost makes it

popular for inventors looking to create interactive hardware projects.

Imperatively, a sensor is the most important component in a smart blind stick. Without

it, this product would just be a blind normal stick, which compromises its "smart blind stick”

name. There are many types of sensors that can be used in making a smart blind stick work but

the Ultrasonic sensor HC-SR04 is way more suitable for detecting obstacles in the use of

developing a smart blind stick. The sensor is composed of two ultrasonic transducers. One is

4
transmitter which outputs ultrasonic sound pulses and the other is receiver which listens for

reflected waves. It emits an ultrasound at 40 000 Hz which travels through the air and if there is

an object or obstacle on its path It will bounce back to the module (Dejan, 2016).

A buzzer is essential in developing the smart stick for the blind because it serves as the

information spreader if an obstacle is detected, therefore, the component that provides visually

impaired people information of obstacles without having them check it out with a regular crane

which is the efficiency booster. There are many ways to communicate between the user and a

product. One of the best ways is audio communication using a buzzer. A buzzer is an audio

signaling device like a beeper or buzzer may be electromechanical or piezoelectric or mechanical

type. The main function of this is to convert the signal from audio to sound. Generally, it is

powered through DC voltage and used in timers, alarm devices, printers, alarms, computers, etc.

Based on the various designs, it can generate different sounds like alarm, music, bell & siren

(Elprocus n.d.). It is most suitable with detecting obstacles or objects since it bounces of radio

waves at the speed of sound and it communicates well with its user.

A study conducted in the Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia, visual

impairment occurred on average for 70 million people. Visual impairment is reported to be an

independent risk factor for fall-related injuries and fall-related death among older adults. Falls

are one of the most common leading causes of unintentional fall-related injury and a cause of

premature death among people with visual impairment. Falls were the most common event with

54% of the participants with VI reporting at least one fall and 30% reported more fall and got

fall-related injuries (Bezabih et al., 2017). Most visually impaired people with no assistance with

any sort of technology that could guide them will likely be injured due to falling or tripping so it

5
is essential to integrate the smart blind stick for people with visual impairments or difficultly of

vision in order to lessen the casualties or injuries that can happen without it's assistance.

6
METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study utilized an experimental research design and focused mainly on the different

distances and surface area of an obstacle in which the High-Conductance Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-

SR04) can detect. Knowing the specific distance and surface area of obstacles also helped in

understanding factors that can cause failure of detection. Thus, the experiments were separated

into two distinct parts, wherein Experiment One had distance as the independent variable and

Experiment Two had surface area of an obstacle as the independent variable. The controlled

variables for Experiment One were the following:, number of trials, and surface area of an

obstacle. Whereas, the controlled variables for Experiment Two were the following: the number

of trials, and distance. The dependent variables for both Experiment One and Two were the

success rate of detection, and the activation of the alarm buzzer

can detect.

Controlled Variables Dependent Variable

Independent Variable
- Number of trials Success rate of detection,
Distance - Surface area of an Activation of the Alarm
obstacle Buzzer

Figure 1. Relationship among the variables (Distance)

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Controlled Variables
Surface area of an - Number of trials Success rate of detection,
obstacle - Distance Activation of the Alarm
Buzzer

Figure 2. Relationship among the variables (Size of

an obstacle)
7
Location and Duration of the Study

The study took place in one of the researchers’ residence in Baslay, Dauin, Negros

Oriental and in Dauin Science High School, Bulak, Dauin, Negros Oriental. The study began on

August 31, 2023 and ended on September 21, 2023.

8
Flowchart of the Procedure of the Whole Study

Connection of the Components

Writing and Uploading of the Code to the

Arduino Uno

Testing the Smart stick

Experiment 1 Experiment 2

Independent Variable Independent Variable

- Distance Surface area of an obstacle
Controlled Variables Controlled Variables
- Number of trials - Number of trials
- Surface area of an obstacle - Distance
Dependent Variable Dependent Variable
- Success rate of detection, Activation of - Success rate of detection, Activation of the
the Alarm Buzzer Alarm Buzzer

Data Analysis

Proper Disposal

Figure 3. Flowchart of the Procedure of the Whole Study

9
Materials

The materials that were utilized in the development of the smart blind stick are the

following: A Cane, High-Conductance Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04), Arduino Uno, one 9V

battery, a battery snap connector, 6 female-to-male jumper wires, electrical tape in covering

copper wires used in connecting the switch to the battery, cable ties to be used on tying the

arduino uno and the HC-SR04 to the crane and scotch tape to tighten the wires onto the baston.

Additionally, obstacles with small and large surface areas were used in testing the factors that

could cause failures of detection for the smart blind stick.

Equipment

The equipment that were needed in developing this project are the following: wire stripper,

electrical tape, scotch tape and protective equipment (thin rubber gloves).

General Procedure

0. Connecting the Components (Buzzer and HC-SR04 to the Arduino Uno)

Prepare the materials and handle them with care. The materials needed in this procedure

are the following: Arduino Uno, HC-SR04, Buzzer, and jumper wires. Note that the colour of the

jumper wires does not matter. First, connect the ground (GND) pins of the Arduino Uno to the

HC-SR04 using a female-to-male jumper wire. Second, connect another GND socket of the

Arduino Uno to the short input pin of the buzzer which is the negative using a female-to-male

jumper wire. Third, connect the voltage common collector (VCC) of the HC-SR04 to the 5-volt

(5V) socket of the Arduino Uno using another female-to-male jumper wire. Fourth, connect the

longer pin of the buzzer which is the positive to the digital pin of the Arduino uno. Fifth, connect

the ECHO pin of the HC-SR04 to the fourth control socket (pin 10) of the Arduino Uno. Sixth,

10
connect the third control socket (pin 9) of the Arduino Uno to the trigger (TRIG) pin of the HC-

SR04 using the last female-to-male jumper wire..

B. Coding for the Arduino Uno

Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) was needed in coding for the

Arduino Uno. The code started by setting up the connections and configurations of the

components. It also defined some important settings how long the buzzer should stay activating

and the time between detecting objects.

In the main part of the code, the Arduino should send out sound waves using the HC-

SR04 and measure how long they took to bounce back. Based on this information, the code must

calculate the distance between the smart stick and any object/obstacle in front of it. If an

obstacle were detected within a certain distance, the code will trigger activating the buzzer. This

allows people with visual impairment to be notified that there are obstacles in front of you.

C. Connecting the Arduino Uno, Buzzer and HC-SR04 to the Smart Stick

In connecting the components to the baston, cable ties and scotch tape were used to keep

the Arduino Uno, Buzzer , and HC-SR04 in place. Firstly, the Arduino Uno was placed on the

middle section of the baston and tied using cable ties. Secondly, HC-SR04 was placed on the

lowest section of the baston and was placed using cable ties. Lastly, the buzzer was placed on

the highest part of the baston wherein it is where the highest point the jumper wire can reach and

was held in place using scotch tape.

D. Testing the Smart Stick

In testing the smart stick, there were two parts: Distances and Surface area of obstacles.

In the first experiment, the distance between the obstacles and the HC-SR04 sensor was

considered, number of trials (five), and surface areas of obstacles (small and wide) of the

11
experiment were controlled, and the distance was set at 80cm. For every successful detection of

the HC-SR04 sensor and activation of the buzzer, the number one (1) was written; otherwise,

zero (0). In the second experiment, the surface area of obstacles/objects were categorized into

two: small and wide. number of trials (five), and distance (80cm) of the experiment were

controlled. Similar to the data collection in the first experiment, a successful connection was

marked as 1 and 0 if otherwise.

Risk Assessment

The power supply (9V battery) poses no significant harm to humans although it was

imperative for precautionary measure of wearing thin rubber gloves was to be implemented to

mitigate unpredictable changes.

Proper Disposal

In the production of the smart blind stick, residue from the modification of the crane with

modules on it and Integrated Circuitry were properly disposed of.

12
RESULTS

Table 1. Success rate of detection, activation of buzzer in terms of varying distances

Distances

Trials
10cm 20cm 30cm 40cm 50cm 60cm 70cm 80cm 90 100

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0

Total 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 0

Success 100
100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 0% 0%
Rate %

Table 1 shows that the farthest HC-SR04 can detect is 80 cm wherein the success rate is

100%, whereas the closest it can detect is 10 cm which also shares the same success rate of

100%. The data reveals that for distances between 10 and 80cm, the motion sensor successfully

detected the presence of an object or obstacle and a person, with all trials resulting in a success

rate of 100%. However, for distances of 90 and 100cm, the motion sensor failed to detect the

presence of an object,obstacles, or person in all trials, resulting in a 0% success rate.

13
Table 2. Success rate of detection, activation of buzzer in terms of the various surface area of an

object/obstacle

Surface area of an obstacle/object

Trials Small ball Steel Large Constructi

Notebook Armchair Table Wall
of paper post Rock on signs
(small) (small) (small) (wide)
(small) (small) (wide) (wide)

1 1 o 1 0 0 1 1 1

2 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

3 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1

4 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1

5 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1

Total 4 1 3 2 1 5 5 5

Success
80% 10% 60% 20% 10% 100% 100% 100%
Rate
Table 2 shows that for the types of surface area of an obstacle or object that are

categorized as small and wide, there were successful attempts in some trial for the small

category, for instance the small ball of paper having a success rate of 80%, notebook having

10%, steel post 60%, armchair with 20% and table of 10% resulting of an average success rate

for the small category of 36%, . However, for the wide category all of the attempts were

successful having an average success rate of 100%.

14
 During the time of testing, there were various factors evident and observable that caused

failures of detection those of which are in terms of surface area, it was shown that

objects/obstacles with smaller surface area were less detectable as the HC-SR04 send waves and

waits for it to bounce back from an object area so that the sensor can detect and trigger functions,

so if the surface area of an object/obstacle is relatively small, the lesser the chances of detection

there is. Distance also matter as the coding for the HC-SR04, it was set for 80cm as chosen by

the researchers for appropriate distance, anything beyond 80cm cannot be detected or has zero

success rate of detection, so the greater the distance of an obstacle from the sensor, the lower the

success rate of detection. Additionally, angles of pointing the sensor and placement of sensor

was also one of the observed reason of failure of detection, as there were object/obstacles that

had hollow areas like the table and armchair as both of them relies on 4 stable legs, those objects

will only be detected if and only if the sensor is able to pick up on those legs. In order to mitigate

these factors more sensors and components should be added to the smart stick.

15
DISCUSSIONS

High-Conductance Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04) is an ultrasonic sensor module

commonly used in robotics and automation projects for measuring distance. It uses ultrasound

waves to determine the distance between the sensor and an object by measuring the time taken

for the ultrasound waves to bounce back to the sensor. It is an affordable and widely available

sensor. Additionally, the HC-SR04 is commonly used in applications such as obstacle detection,

autonomous navigation, and parking sensors (TutorialsPoint, n.d.).

HC-SR04 communicates with the Arduino Uno microcontroller using the GPIO (General

Purpose Input/Output) pins. It requires two pins to be connected to the Arduino, one for the

trigger signal and another for the echo signal. Once it triggers, the sound wave then travels

through the air until it hits an object, and the wave is reflected back to the sensor. The sensor

detects this reflected wave and sends an echo signal to the Arduino by setting the echo pin HIGH

(Dejan, 2016). The HC-SR04 was set only to detect motion of distances from up to 80cm.

According to Random Nerd Tutorials (n.d.), the ultrasonic sensor can detect motion from 2 to

400cm. However, this study only set it to detect obstacles for up to 80cm because setting up the

value too high can cause confusion as it will activate the buzzer as obstacles are 400cm away

from you so it is set at an appropriate distance. The relationship between the distance and success

rate of detection still applies regardless if the distance were set to 400cm because motion at any

more than 400cm will ultimately lead to difficulty or decline of detection rate.

An Arduino Uno is an open-source microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P

microcontroller chip. The board comes with digital input/output pins, analog inputs, a USB

interface for programming and serial communication, and other features that make it easy to

connect to other devices and sensors. The Arduino Uno can be programmed using the Arduino

16
IDE, a simple and user-friendly programming environment (Arduino, 2023). This study utilized

the Arduino Uno in order to utilize the HC-SR04 sensor to detect obstacles and trigger it's

functions to activate a buzzer.

Regarding the first point, the HC-SR04 sends a signal to the Arduino Uno based on the

distance of an object or person from the sensor, and the Arduino Uno uses this signal to control

activate the buzzer. This allows visually impaired people to be notified of obstacles infront of

them and would be able to avoid such accidents as the stick checks it out for them. The stick can

check out such obstacles with enough surface area as the HC-SR04 send waves that bounces off

other objects surface area and as soon as those bounced waves are received then the function is

triggered, so the wider the surface area of such obstacles and objects are the higher the rate an

object can be detected. There are also such observed factors that can cause failure of detection

during testing, one of them is angles of pointing the sensor as there are objects that have hollow

areas and creases that are pointed at which cannot be detected as the HC-SR04 sensor need

Surface are to bounce on. Another is the placement of the HC-SR04 sensor, if the placement of

the sensor is in the Lower section it cannot detect sign posts above or table that are supported by

4 legs and there are no surface areas that the waves sent by the sensor can bounce on, the visually

impaired person cannot be notified of such obstacle or object in front of him/her.

On the other hand, although the smart stick may have such advantages compared to

regular cranes, there are still improvements that can be done with it to assure the safety of

visually impaired people, as with the smart stick functioning only on detecting and buzzing if

obstacles are detected, there are various circumstances like what if they are going down on a

staircase or if there are sign posts that cannot be detected by the sensor because of its placement

or if situations where they are led to a hole or danger zones and the smart stick cannot detect that,

17
so various modules, components, and improvements must be added to the smart stick in order to

assure the safety of visually impaired people.

CONCLUSIONS

The smart stick for the blind utilizing an HC-SR04 motion sensor has a perfect success

rate in detecting obstacles/objectd for distances between 1 and 80 cm. However, it is poor in

detecting obstacles/objects at distances greater than 80cm as it is only set up to detect distances

at 1 to 80cm. Moreover, the smart stick showed higher success rates in detecting objects or

obstacles with wide surface areas. Knowing this, it can be concluded that there is a significant

relationship between the distance and the success of detection rate and the size of an obstacle and

the success of detection rate. There are factors that can cause failure of detection like angle of the

sensor, placement of the sensor, the size of an obstacle, and most importantly the distance

The smart stick was able to trigger the activation of the buzzer as it registered the outputs

from the HC-SR04. Henceforth, the results suggest that the smart stick can help visually

impaired people with its guidance and cooperation, but may need further optimization and

improvements as there are still factors that cannot be solved with the given components used so

additional functions are needed to assure safety and accordance of purpose

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results and conclusions drawn, the following recommendations are

suggested in order to assure safety and reliability:

1. The HC-SR04 should be placed in an appropriate section on the stick as there are

objects that have small surface areas and may need accuracy of the sensor or the user to detect

2.GPS system with the accordance of Al, so that visually impaired people will have

awareness of where they are situated as they may have trouble figuring out wherever they are,

18
this could also serve as guide for them because Al can be interacted with and has a wide range of

functions

3. Lighter stick should be used so that individuals using the smart stick would have no

difficulties in managing the smart stick.

4. Additional component, The vibrator is something that could be a replacement for the

buzzer as the it is quite annoying and may cause discomfort for the public, so the vibrator can

also notify individuald since the sense of feeling I'd always present, do it is recommended to use

it as replacement for the buzzer as it gives more comfort to the user and to the public.

19
References

Agarwal, Tarun. “Buzzer : Working, Types, Circuit, Advantages & Disadvantages.”

ElProCus, July 26, 2021. https://www.elprocus.com/buzzer-working-applications/.
(Accessed on September 15, 2023)
Arduino (2023). Arduino Uno Rev-3. Retrieved from https://store.arduino.cc/products/arduino-
uno-rev3 (Accessed on September 20, 2023)
Anon, Abba, Dejan, Cristina, Rohitash, Dejan Nedelkovski, Hannu Olin, et al. “Ultrasonic
Sensor HC-SR04 and Arduino - Complete Guide.” How To Mechatronics, February 18,
2022. https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/ultrasonic-sensor-hc-sr04/.
(Accessed on September 15, 2023)
Arduino for beginners - makerspaces.com.
https://www.makerspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Arduino-For-Beginners-
REV2.pdf. (Accessed on September 15, 2023)
Bezabih, Lidiya, Tilaye Workneh Abebe, and Robera Olana Fite. "Prevalence and factors
associated with childhood visual impairment in Ethiopia." Clinical Ophthalmology
(2017): 1941-1948. (Accessed on September 15, 2023)
Dejan (2016). Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 and Arduino – Complete Guide. Retrieved from
https://howtomechatronics.com/tutorials/arduino/ultrasonic-sensor-hc-sr04/ (Accessed on
September 20, 2023)
Random Nerd Tutorials (n.d.). Complete Guide for Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 with Arduino.
Retrieved from https://randomnerdtutorials.com/complete-guide-for-ultrasonic-sensor-hc-
sr04/ (Accessed on September 20, 2023)
Smart blind stick using ultrasonic sensor - researchgate. .
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Talari-Tirupal/publication/353795465_Smart_Blind
_Stick_Using_Ultrasonic_Sensor/links/611264a71ca20f6f860f86ed/Smart-Blind-Stick-
Using-Ultrasonic-Sensor.pdf. (Accessed on September 15, 2023)
TutorialsPoint (n.d.). Arduino – Ultrasonic Sensor. Retrieved from
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/arduino/arduino_ultrasonic_sensor.htm#:~:text=The
%20HC%2DSR04%20ultrasonic%20sensor,or%201%E2%80%9D%20to%2013%20feet
(Accessed on September 20, 2023)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

20
 The researchers would like to express their gratitude towards their research adviser, Mrs.

Vineles, for her guidance and support throughout the study. They would like to express their

gratitude to their parents for allowing them to conduct the study outside their residence. Their

unwavering support and cooperation made the study possible. Deepest thanks to the friends and

classmates that have made the data collection possible and have supported the journey all

throughout the duration of the study. The researchers would like to extend their deepest gratitude

to their homeroom adviser, Ma’am Desiongco, for allowing them to develop the Smart Stick for

the Blind during her time.

21
APPENDICES

22
Documentation

9V Battery

30 cmJumper Wires Cable Ties

23
Arduino Uno Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SRO4)

Buzzer Switch

24
 Baston Connecting Jumper Wires to Buzzer

Connecting Jumper Wires to Sensor Connecting the Buzzer and HC-SRO4

(HC-SRO4) Sensor to the Arduino Uno
25
REQUIRED FORMS

26
 Eyes of the Blind: An Arduino Uno Motion-based
Smart Stick for the Blind utilizing an Ultrasonic Sensor

RESEARCH PLAN

Rationale

In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, there is a growing emphasis on

enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Particularly, those with visual

impairments encounter distinct challenges when it comes to independent mobility. According to

the World Health Organization (2021), approximately 2.2 billion people globally experience

varying degrees of visual impairment, with 1 billion among them facing moderate to severe

vision issues.(World Health Organization, 2021)

Traditionally, people with visual impairments have relied on white canes to help them

detect obstacles and gain some independence. However, as we move further into the digital age,

it's crucial to explore new solutions that can empower individuals with visual impairments to

navigate their surroundings more effectively. This research project focuses on creating and

evaluating a smart stick based on the Arduino Uno platform, which comes equipped with an

ultrasonic sensor. This smart stick offers a promising alternative to the traditional white cane.

Smart sticks and electronic travel aids (ETAs) have gained attention recently for their potential to

transform mobility for people with visual impairments. These devices use cutting-edge

technologies like ultrasonic sensors, microcontrollers, and systems that provide tactile feedback

to detect obstacles and give real-time information to users (La Grow, et.al. 2006).

In this study, the researchers goal is to figure out how effective and user-friendly our

Arduino Uno-based smart stick is in helping people with visual impairments move around and

27
gain more independence. Researchers will conduct trials, and analyze the results to see how

practical and beneficial this innovative assistive device is.

Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to the field of assistive technology by thoroughly

evaluating a low-cost, open-source solution that has the potential to improve the lives of millions

of people with visual impairments.

Research Questions

This study aimed to develop a smart stick for the blind. Thus, the following questions

were investigated in order to successfully develop the smart blind stick:

1. Is there any significant relationship between the distance of the obstacle from the

motion sensor and the success rate of detection?

2. Is there any significant relationship between the surface area of the obstacle and the

success rate of detection of an obstacle?

3. What other factors can cause failure of detection?

General Procedure

A. Connecting the Components (Buzzer and HC-SR04 to the Arduino Uno)

Prepare the materials and handle them with care. The materials needed in this procedure

are the following: Arduino Uno, HC-SR04, Buzzer, and jumper wires. Note that the colour of the

jumper wires does not matter. First, connect the ground (GND) pins of the Arduino Uno to the

HC-SR04 using a female-to-male jumper wire. Second, connect another GND socket of the

Arduino Uno to the short input pin of the buzzer which is the negative using a female-to-male

jumper wire. Third, connect the voltage common collector (VCC) of the HC-SR04 to the 5-volt

(5V) socket of the Arduino Uno using another female-to-male jumper wire. Fourth, connect the

longer pin of the buzzer which is the positive to the digital pin of the Arduino uno. Fifth, connect

28
the ECHO pin of the HC-SR04 to the fourth control socket (pin 10) of the Arduino Uno. Sixth,

connect the third control socket (pin 9) of the Arduino Uno to the trigger (TRIG) pin of the HC-

SR04 using the last female-to-male jumper wire..

C. Coding for the Arduino Uno

Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) was needed in coding for the

Arduino Uno. The code started by setting up the connections and configurations of the

components. It also defined some important settings how long the buzzer should stay activating

and the time between detecting objects.

In the main part of the code, the Arduino should send out sound waves using the HC-

SR04 and measure how long they took to bounce back. Based on this information, the code must

calculate the distance between the smart stick and any object/obstacle in front of it. If an

obstacle were detected within a certain distance, the code will trigger activating the buzzer. This

allows people with visual impairment to be notified that there are obstacles in front of you.

D. Connecting the Arduino Uno, Buzzer and HC-SR04 to the Smart Stick

In connecting the components to the baston, cable ties and scotch tape were used to keep

the Arduino Uno, Buzzer , and HC-SR04 in place. Firstly, the Arduino Uno was placed on the

middle section of the baston and tied using cable ties. Secondly, HC-SR04 was placed on the

lowest section of the baston and was placed using cable ties. Lastly, the buzzer was placed on

the highest part of the baston wherein it is where the highest point the jumper wire can reach and

was held in place using scotch tape.

E. Testing the Smart Stick

In testing the smart stick, there were two parts: Distances and Surface area of obstacles.

In the first experiment, the distance between the obstacles and the HC-SR04 sensor was

29
considered, number of trials (five), and surface areas of obstacles (small and wide) of the

experiment were controlled, and the distance was set at 80cm. For every successful detection of

the HC-SR04 sensor and activation of the buzzer, the number one (1) was written; otherwise,

zero (0). In the second experiment, the surface area of obstacles/objects were categorized into

two: small and wide. number of trials (five), and distance (80cm) of the experiment were

controlled. Similar to the data collection in the first experiment, a successful connection was

marked as 1 and 0 if otherwise.

Risk Assessment

The power supply (9V battery) poses no significant harm to humans although it was

imperative for precautionary measure of wearing thin rubber gloves was to be implemented to

mitigate unpredictable changes.

Proper Disposal

In the production of the smart blind stick, residue from the modification of the crane with

modules on it and Integrated Circuitry were properly disposed of.

30