Gabay: Smart walking stick for persons with visual impairment

ABSTRACT: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: The issue at stake is that, despite the value of independence for each individual, people with visual impairments face obstacles that limit their capacity to live independently. These obstacles include the lack of technologically advanced visual aids and the high cost of such devices. The researchers hope to solve this problem by creating Gabay, a smart walking stick that makes use of contemporary technology to lead blind people on independent journeys and analyze their surroundings for any hazard. More specifically, the researchers aim to achieve the following objectives: 1. Design an innovative smart walking stick composed of sensors and a camera that allows persons with visual impairment to independently navigate their surroundings; 2. Design a system within this device that has a feedback system of which the device is triggered via the information it gathers, allowing the user to gain feedback via sound and haptic feedback; 3. Design an alert and location tracking system that would allow the notification of emergency contacts of the user during crisis; and 4. Test and evaluation of the functionality of the system from the perspective of persons with visual impairment. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: To determine what is lacking in a system, enhance it, prototype it, and assess it, the researchers used a mixed methodology that included both qualitative and quantitative testing, the engineering design process, and an exploratory sequential design. With the aid of a preconceptual interview and questionnaire, the researchers sought the opinions of persons with vision impairment, medical professionals, trainers, and caregivers to determine the main concept of the prototype. The prototype was tested by persons with visual impairment after it was developed using the ideas, suggestions, and criticism of the responders. To establish research questions and a solution that suited the requirements of the target audience, the researchers conducted an interview. In general, the study’s findings were helpful to other researchers who were considering applying mixed methods strategies to challenging research issues. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS: The development and testing of Gabay, a smart walking stick designed, was proved to improve the mobility and quality of life of people with vision impairments. The results showed that Gabay has a high battery runtime of 20 hours, efficient rates of object and obstacle detection, lower collision frequency rates, and faster course completion time compared to an ordinary walking stick. The device also proved to be efficient in the emergency alert system by providing accurate GPS results and fast GSM communication. The device also received positive feedback from users and was found to be effective based on ISO 25010 Quality Evaluation Criteria and the System Usability Scale. Overall, the study suggests that Gabay has the potential to improve the mobility and quality of life of people with vision impairments. CONCLUSION: To enable people with vision impairments to live independently, the researchers aim in developing this initiative is to establish a safe and healthy environment. In order to achieve this, the researchers developed Gabay, a smart walking stick which has sensors and a camera to let individuals freely explore their environment. In order to help persons with visual impairment understand their surroundings. Gabay also incorporates a feedback system that offers them audio and haptic feedback. Additionally, a system for alerts and location monitoring was developed so users may alert emergency contacts when in danger. People with vision impairment, their caregivers, trainers, and medical experts examined and evaluated the prototype’s usability. RECOMMENDATION: The following recommendations were made based on the data gathered from the respondents to improve the validity of the study and enable future researchers to make enhancements in this research: to use 3D printing to improve the device’s enclosure and specially made boards and components to reduce component size and overall weight of the device, add more prompts that indicate nearby obstacles, increasing the number of objects and obstacles that can be detected by computer vision, and add more and better cameras with greater points of view to assist the person with visual impairment in traveling safely and avoiding obstacle collisions, enhance the hardware and software of the device to be error-free and durable to withstand obstacles that most people with visual impairment face, develop a device that is catered towards persons with multiple disabilities, and consider the device being waterproof in the rainy season for the person with visual impairment to conveniently travel alone.

Filipiniana