Smart Shoes: Wearable Navigation Assistant for Visually Impaired People

Abstract

Vision is one of the powerful sense in all of the senses. Visually challenged people face many problems in terms of obstacles in their mobility in the case of outdoor as well as indoor. For their daily activities, they are always reliant on others. Visually impaired people meet many accidents, they often fall off and they may get lost in some unknown areas due to failure in adapting and identifying the surrounding environment. “Smart Shoes” are designed to provide a better solution for the visually impaired to move safely and independently. It is built using “Internet of Things” technology and the shoes are embedded with various sensors, microcontrollers, buzzer, speaker and vibration motor. The shoe alerts the wearer whenever he or she walks in front of an obstacle. Also, it detects the wet floor and water bodies and gives alert about it. To increase the security and safety of the visually impaired, whenever the person falls down an alert message is sent to the parent’s or caretaker’s telegram bot. Smart shoes are designed to provide a safe and comfortable companion in their daily life activities. As a result, a complete adaptive equipment is being advanced to improve the standard and comfort of life of the visually impaired.