Lichter, P.A. – VEMI Lab

Indoor Inertial Waypoint Navigation for the Blind

eblackwood — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:00:26 +0000

Abstract:

Indoor navigation technology is needed to support seamless mobility for the visually impaired. This paper describes the construction and evaluation of an inertial dead reckoning navigation system that provides real-time auditory guidance along mapped routes. Inertial dead reckoning is a navigation technique coupling step counting together with heading estimation to compute changes in position at each step. The research described here outlines the development and evaluation of a novel navigation system that utilizes information from the mapped route to limit the problematic error accumulation inherent in traditional dead reckoning approaches. The prototype system consists of a wireless inertial sensor unit, placed at the users’ hip, which streams readings to a smartphone processing a navigation algorithm. Pilot human trials were conducted assessing system efficacy by studying route-following performance with blind and sighted subjects using the navigation system with real-time guidance, versus offline verbal directions.

Citation:

Riehle, T. H., Anderson, S. M., Lichter, P. A., Whalen, W.E., & Giudice, N. A. (2013). Indoor inertial waypoint navigation for the blind. Proceedings of the 35th annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC’13, Vol. 2013, pp. 5187-5190).

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Indoor magnetic navigation for the blind

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:00:31 +0000

Abstract: Indoor navigation technology is needed to support seamless mobility for the visually impaired. This paper describes the construction of and evaluation of a navigation system that infers the users’ location using only magnetic sensing. It is well known that the environments within steel frame structures are subject to significant magnetic distortions. These distortions are persistent and have sufficient strength and spatial characteristics to allow their use as the basis for a location technology. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a prototype magnetic navigation system consisting of a wireless magnetometer placed at the users’ hip streaming magnetic readings to a smartphone running location algorithms. Human trials were conducted to assess the efficacy of the system by studying route-following performance with blind and sighted subjects using the navigation system for realtime guidance.

Citation: Riehle, T. H., Anderson, S. M., Lichter, P. A., Giudice, N. A., Sheikh, S. I., Knuesel, R. J., & Kollmann, D. t. (2012). Indoor magnetic navigation for the blind. Proceedings of the 34th annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC‘12), (Vol. 2012, , pp. 1972-1975).

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An indoor navigation system to support the visually impaired

eblackwood — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:00:43 +0000

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.

Citation: Riehle, T.H., Lichter, P., & Giudice, N.A. (2008). An indoor navigation system to support the visually impaired. Proceedings of the 30th annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology conference. V. 2008, PP. 4435-4438. August 20-24, Vancouver, Canada.

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