Summary

We developed a very low cost, portable and robust system for aiding the movements of the visually challenged persons. The system costs around USD 8-9 or INR 500-600 which is affordable for lower middle class blind group. Also the system detects obstacles in the front such as tables, chairs, vehicles etc. as well as ground lying objects like bricks or stairs. The prototype of the system was tested in Ahmadi School of Blinds and was given positive feedback regarding its usability and cost effectiveness. Using 4 Reachargeable AA Batteries only, the system had a continuous usage time of 72+ hours on a single charge. Further developing the system, addition of bluetooth was done and connection to Android smartphone was done. Using the voice guided navigation on the application, the person will have vibratory feedback via both the system and the phone and can reach to his destination safely. The system has been patented and under review for mass production.