ABSTRACT

Recent evolutionary achievements in robotics and bioengineering have given scientists and engineers great opportunities and challenges to serve humanity. With the development of radar and ultrasonic technologies over the past four decades, when combined with the robotic technology and bioengineering, gave rise to new series of devices, known as electronic travel aids (ETAs). It operates similar to a radar system, sends a laser or an ultrasonic beam, which after striking the object reflects back and is detected by the sensors, and so the corresponding distance from the object is calculated. In particular, these devices are used to help people organ failure and people with disabilities, such as visual impairment, deafness etc. This seminar is about an instrument, which is the outcome of robotics and bioengineering, and it is called NavBelt and the GuideCane. It is a robotics-based obstacle-avoidance system for the blind and visually impaired. NavBelt is worn by the user like a belt and is equipped with an array of ultrasonic sensors. It provides acoustic signals via a set of stereo earphones that guide the user around obstacles or displays a virtual acoustic panoramic image of the travellers surroundings. One limitation of the NavBelt is that it is exceedingly difficult for the user to comprehend the guidance signals in time to allow fast walking.A newer device, called GuideCane, effectively overcomes the above problem faced by the use of NavBelt. The GuideCane uses the same mobile robotics technology as the NavBelt but is a wheeled device pushed ahead of the user via an attached cane. When the GuideCane detects an obstacle, it steers around it. The user immediately feels this steering action and can follow the GuideCanes new path easily without any conscious effort.