title: An indoor navigation system to support the visually impaired.
abstract: Indoor navigation technology is needed to support seamless mobility for the visually impaired. A small portable personal navigation device that provides current position, useful contextual wayfinding information about the indoor environment and directions to a destination would greatly improve access and independence for people with low vision. This paper describes the construction of such a device which utilizes a commercial Ultra-Wideband (UWB) asset tracking system to support real-time location and navigation information. Human trials were conducted to assess the efficacy of the system by comparing target-finding performance between blindfolded subjects using the navigation system for real-time guidance, and blindfolded subjects who only received speech information about their local surrounds but no route guidance information (similar to that available from a long cane or guide dog). A normal vision control condition was also run. The time and distance traveled was measured in each trial and a point-back test was performed after goal completion to assess cognitive map development. Statistically significant differences were observed between the three conditions in time and distance traveled; with the navigation system and the visual condition yielding the best results, and the navigation system dramatically outperforming the non-guided condition.
authors.affiliation: Koronis Biomedical Technologies Corp. 16077 Baywood Lane, Eden Prairie, MN 55346 USA. triehle@koronisbiotech.com
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Riehle
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lichter
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Giudice
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods; D001766:Blindness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002183:Canes; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D012682:Sensory Aids; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014794:Visual Fields; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities; D016138:Walking