A novel design of integrated proximity sensors for the white cane

The paper documents a low cost solution for integrating proximity sensors onto the white cane for the blind. It promotes the sensors as a peripheral device that uses digital signal processing and ultrasonics to compute distance measurements using time-delay calculations of ultrasonic signals. The design increases the coverage of the cane and overcomes the common bad habits in techniques of its use. The integrated cane will allow detection of high-level objects and give a greater reaction time for changes in the level of the user's path, such as dips. Initial calculations for the timing of signals, and the coverage of sensors for the cane are explored, and descriptions of signal filtering and audio feedback methods used are discussed.