Enhancing Mobility for the Visually Impaired with AI and IoT-Enabled Mobile Applications

Abstract

Developing a mobile application that assists visually impaired persons (VIPs) in navigating public transportation systems is significantly important for the quality of life of the growing number of VIPs in the world. The application should utilize real-time information about bus and train schedules, as well as the layout of transit stations, to provide step-by-step directions to users for reaching their desired destination. The app should be accessible to individuals with a range of visual impairments, featuring high-contrast colors, large fonts, and text-to-speech functionality. It should also provide alerts when the user is approaching their stop and can communicate with transit operators to request assistance if needed. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the existing applications and systems available for VIP in transportation and other areas, finding out the limitations of these applications to propose new and efficient solutions, especially solutions involving Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Internet of Things (IoT) – evolved cutting edge technologies.