BENGALURU: Students from the Electronics and Communication Engineering Department of Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) in Mysuru have developed a self-powered navigation system to aid the visually-impaired by generating the embedding transducers in their shoes.
Students A Anusha, S Ashwini, CB Divya and MH Kalpana, under the guidance of Shivaprasad N, assistant professor, Department of E and C, have developed the device. They have worked hard for six months to improve the quality of the gadget.
Energy generated when user walks
The students have used different sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles, water sensors to detect water, and vibration sensors to detect vibration. They have also incorporated GPS and GSM systems to track and send the location of the disabled person to their caretaker. Without seeking anyone's assistance, the disabled person can navigate both indoors and outdoors with the help of audio commands issued by the gadget. The power required for operating the unit is obtained from the energy that is generated when the person walks.
Moreover, the shoe is integrated with a self-power generation unit, and there will be no power-backup problems. When an object is detected near the shoe, the disabled person gets notified with the help of speakers. Also, if the person starts to panic and needs immediate help, there is a panic button that sends an SMS to the caretaker. With the help of ultrasonic sensors, speakers announce accurate information about the object detected. If the disabled person meets with an accident, the vibration sensor detects it. Using the GSM and GPS modules, an SMS is sent to the tracking person immediately, which contains the Google map link with the exact location.
“This model is very useful to both the blind and people with Alzheimer's (with necessary modifications). The durability of the model depends on the life span of the rechargeable battery used to store the energy from the piezoelectric sensors," says Dr Shankaraiah, professor and HOD. The device will be soon available in Bengaluru.