A Versatile Personal Assistant Dedicated to B/VIP

Today, there are different systems on the market that aim to help Blind or Visually Impaired People (B/VIP) to gain more independency and self-trust. From the classic white cane to various intelligent devices to guide people with vision problems, most of the systems are expensive, difficult to be used or with low efficiency. The subject is a very important one because, according to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 2.2 billion people in the world that have a vision impairment or blindness. Thus, the purpose of this work is to make a short survey on solutions available on the market, in order to develop a low-cost, efficient and easy-to-use system for both indoor and outdoor use. The versatile personal assistant dedicated to B/VIP aims to enhance their independence and also improved outdoor navigation. The smart warning system addressed here is an innovative device aiming to detect obstacles with the help of ultrasonic sensors and warning of their presence by means of a buzzer or vibration. The system, when used outdoor, also gives the possibility to send short message to the B/VIP’s own assistant, in the form of an SMS with the exact location of the B/VIP. Moreover, the SMS’ content can easily create the optimal route to the B/VIP’s location with the Google Maps support for a fast-time assistance.