GPS-enabled smart stick guide for campus accessibility at King Abdulaziz University

Blindness is a common disability among individuals worldwide. Around 90% of the world’s visually impaired population lives in developing nations [1]. The statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO) state that 39 million people are blind and about 285 million are visually impaired [2]. Middle East residents have 12.5% of blind [3]. Sightless individuals suffer from various obstacles; one of these obstacles is finding their way out [4]. Utilization of walking stick is one of the solutions, which is also known as a white cane. It is a mobility equipment that assists a blind individual in scanning their surroundings environment [5]. Tactile paving, which is a yellow textured ground surface, serves as another method employed alongside a walking stick to aid individuals who are blind [6]. However, it is not broadly utilized, as it should be in public areas; it is perhaps utilized in a few commercial zones [4]. The International Arrangement of Diseases [7] defines visual impairment as a condition where distance sight is impaired, resulting in visual acuity worse than 3/60. A study was designed as an observational, cross-sectional investigation of data regarding the ocular health of 2214 eyes from 1107 European Caucasian individuals. The majority of these individuals reside in Lodz, a city in central Poland. Visual impairment was described as having 20/200 distance visual acuity, while blindness was characterized as a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of less than 20/200 in both eyes. It was determined that 27.5% of the subjects experienced visual impairment [8].

Recent developments in facilitating technology have been involved in enhancing navigation for visually impaired individuals. The development of smart walking aids with sensors, alarms, and a global positioning system (GPS) for enhanced navigation has been investigated by several studies. Shovlet developed a device called Nava let, a multifunctional portable personalized computer that could identify barriers positioned indoors. It depended on two factors; the first one was that noise perception can vary depending on the nature of the interruption. One activity was intended for forward movement while another activity was used when an obstacle was encountered. Furthermore, if the blind individual stands in an incorrect location, the smart cane will provide a warning regarding their position [9]. In other studies, smart walking sticks, that aware of the obstacles but they have also some limitations, such as the absence of voice navigation in these previous systems [10]. A structural model incorporating Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and a modified long range wide area network (LoRaWAN) has been developed in recent studies for simultaneous vehicle detection in insubstantial waters and boat traffic monitoring. These networks were tested in real time to assist boat traffic observing challenges [11].

Furthermore, a recent study discussed a secured blockchain technology, which is incorporated in distributed cloud storage structures. It has smart disparities to assist data privacy, probity, and availability. The system empowers secure data exchange over publicly usable cloud storage with the combination of Ethereum Blockchain with Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) encoding and validation schemes [12].

Another noteworthy development in favorable technology is the use of convolutional neural networks (CNN) for locating and positioning objects determined by the design of a 360° dead-angle-free smart desk lamp. In this system, CNNs are utilized for visual tracking to provide lightning and guide individuals to a particular position [13].

An experimental energy utilization model and a developmental algorithm-based route planning algorithm were discussed in a recent study, which acquired greater energy adaptability in the produced routes compared with other advanced evolutionary algorithms with comparable purpose and restrictions [14]. Another study developed a white smart stick to detect obstacles only at outdoor, which is also appropriate for indoor use. For the detection of obstacles, infrared (IR) sensors have also been used in smart walking sticks to send vibration alerts to blind users [15]. However, there might be a restriction for IR sensors in smart walking sticks because of which they could not effectively detect distant obstacles [16].

Tactile paving is utilized at King AbdulAziz University (KAU) by sight-impaired students. Thus, they required assistance from people with sight for walking. This study mainly aims to assist blind individuals, especially blind students of KAU, to find their way throughout the university. In this study, the GPS-enabled smart stick guide is designed particularly for campus accessibility at KAU, contributing specialized navigation solutions that incorporate GPS technology with simultaneous detection of obstacles. Unlike previous studies, which constantly aim at multi-purpose smart sticks or indoor navigation systems, this study described the exceptional needs of visually impaired students in navigating complicated campuses of universities, specifically at KAU.

This study bridges the gap in campus navigation systems for blind students by developing a smart stick guide that incorporates GPS-guided navigation, along with ultrasonic and light sensors. Thereby, we provide a customized solution that improves movability and self-reliance for students at KAU.

The supposed GPS-enabled smart stick guide is a remarkable advancement in facilitative technology, providing a flexible solution that can be adjusted for use in other universities or public environments. This revolution contributes to the wider achievement of improving accessibility and encouraging diversity for students with visual impairments.

Figure 1 shows the flowchart in designing and implementing smart stick system.

Figure 1:

Flowchart of smart stick system.

a.

Sampling

The operational feasibility was conducted on a visually impaired female student at KAU using questionnaires created with Google Forms. To know about the target group’s acceptance of the project idea, questionnaires were used to know how they deal with the problem of navigation.

a.i

System architecture

Figure 2 displays the architecture of Smart Guide System, which consists of three layers. The user interface layer receives the information from the three different users, manages it at the application layer, and stores the data in the database layer.

Figure 2:

Smart Guide system architecture.

User interface, the first layer, includes three interfaces for the different users: blind student, blind’s guardian, and security guard. The second layer is the application layer, which manages and processes the operations; it contains two components, the Smart Guide application and the Smart Stick. Smart Guide application manages the users’ accounts and the map navigation. Simultaneously, the Smart Stick, which the blind student uses, scans the surroundings while navigating, gives alarms in case of obstacles and darkness, and sends the emergency alarms. The third layer is the database layer. It consists of Users Database, which includes the users’ database and stores the different users’ data, and the Maps Database, which stores the building’s data and the maps of each destination.

e.

Hardware design

A block diagram has been created to show how the hardware component will be connected. Figure 3 shows the Arduino board and connected components, which are installed on the stick. Arduino microcontrollers with several modules and sensors improve navigation and provide real-time assistance interaction for blind individuals. Ultrasonic and light sensors send data to the microcontroller; based on that, the microcontroller will either turn on the light or give an alert or vibration to the users. These sensors play an important role in the detection of obstacles, allowing the system to recognize close objects and obstacles in real time. By radiating ultrasonic waves and calculating the time it takes for them to return, these sensors can accurately measure the distance to obstacles. The system is powered by a 9 V rechargeable battery that supplies power to the microcontroller and other components. The accuracy of battery life span may contrast depending upon the usage of modules and frequency of LED light and vibration motor. The location of the blind student is determined by GPS module and sent to the microcontroller, while sensors for detecting additional risks can improve the utility and strength of the Smart Stick.

Figure 3:

Hardware block diagram.

The push button in Figure 3 is the emergency button, which gives a signal to the microcontroller if the blind student presses it. The microcontroller sends the blind student’s location from the GPS module to the guardian and security guard.

The components used to build the smart stick are described below in Table 1.

Table 1:

Hardware components

	Component description	Component image
1	The Arduino board is a microcontroller connected to the application and the other components.
2	An ultrasonic sensor is utilized to sense the barrier in a specified range.
3	The light sensor is used to measure the intensity of light in a place.
4	A buzzer is used to give a sound during emergencies and when detecting an obstacle.
5	The push button is used as an emergency button.
6	LED light is used to turn it on in dark places.
7	The vibration motor gives vibrations to alert the blind student.
8	GPS module is utilized to detect the location of the visually impaired student.

GPS, global positioning system.

In this study, the proposed stick was linked to the application and supported by a range of characteristics to help blind university students in navigation. These characteristics comprise light sensor, obstacle sensor, and GPS technology to send real-time location and navigate while activating the emergency switch of the stick. Furthermore, the application enables users to select a map of the building from the available plans. Similarly, a study introduced a walking stick to assist visually impaired individuals linked to Android-based applications [17]. It utilizes a GPS module and a Raspberry Pi microprocessor accompanied by sensors. This stick had various characteristics such as identifying barriers and water puddles in the person’s way. The GPS module was employed to trace the individual by parents. Utilizing an emergency application, the person was in contact with parents and family. Another research [18] presented a resolution for blind people to walk safely around utilizing a smart stick with three ultrasonic sensors positioned in the left, right, and front of the stick to identify coming barriers accompanied by a buzzer alarm and a vibrating motor to warn the person.

Furthermore, this study outlines the design and implementation of a walking cane for individuals with visual impairments, which relies on an ultrasonic sensor. The HCSR04 ultrasonic sensor module was employed to detect obstacles in the path of the visually impaired person, and a bell was utilized to provide a personal alert. This project was executed using the PIC micro-controller 16F877A. The walking stick was intended to offer a secure means of navigation for blind individuals, as it can identify obstacles within a distance range of 5–35 cm [19]. Correspondingly, a smart electronic aid for the visually impaired was introduced. The smart cane offered a remedy for individuals with visual impairments who encounter challenges in recognizing obstacles and environmental alterations. It consists of three sensors: an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a flame sensor. The cane was capable of identifying obstacles within a range of approximately 2 m from the user. The objective of this system was to deliver an economical and dependable smart cane that can facilitate unrestricted navigation for those who are visually impaired [20]. Another small-sized bright stick was proposed with an efficient wearable gadget for tracing the track. Further, the stick could notify the person before the road. If a barrier was identified in the path, then it could recommend a secure route. Doubtless, it was an efficient characteristic. Moreover, the researcher intended to establish a camera connection to observe the path. The research initiates the idea of monitoring blind individuals in actual time [21].

Sherpa is a device developed by a French company called Handisco [22]. The device can be linked to any white cane; it is provided with a Bluetooth earpiece. Sherpa provides four main features. Localization gives the current location. Navigation provides the direction to reach the selected place. Signalization is connected to the pedestrian lights and warns the user if the light is red or green. Transportation, Sherpa is connected to the transportation system, gives information about the bus stops and the coming bus times. On the contrary, WeWALK is a smart cane that provides many features to assist visually impaired people [23]. The main features of WeWALK are detecting obstacles above the chest level using an ultrasonic sensor. It navigates using the free application for both iOS and Android platforms. It allows the user to save places and provides navigation through the cane when having the phone nearby. The user can also access bus timetables and bus stops, as well as receive directions to them.

A study presents a solution that utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm to bridge the gap between the individual and the surrounding atmosphere. Various sensors can be employed to identify irregularities such as barriers, wet terrains, and staircases. The model explained here is an uncomplicated, sophisticated, and budget-friendly smart blind stick furnished with several IoT modules and sensors. In addition, this tool notifies the location of the person to the people who are concerned [24]. This contrastive analysis emphasizes that, while other studies convey general requirements, the system developed in this study specifically focuses on the problems faced by blind students in navigating university campuses. Likewise, this study incorporates a combination of ultrasonic sensors, a light sensor, an Arduino microcontroller, and a GPS module. This configuration is not only cost-effective but also accessible to university students, making it feasible and affordable, as the components used in this system are inexpensive and widely available, which materially lowers the cost of manufacturing. This makes it an adaptable option for implementation on a large scale. The integration of these technologies into a smart stick for blind individuals holds the promise of enhancing their mobility and independence, aligning with the broader aim of aiding individuals with visual impairment in navigating their surroundings more effectively. The fundamental tools and software, such as obstacle detection sensors, light sensors, and GPs module, were adjusted to implement Smart Stick according to KAU infrastructure. The Smart Guide Application can be easily adapted for use in other universities or public places with a minimal modification in hardware components and systems interface such as the light and ultrasonic sensors. The hardware components and systems interface are adaptable and will custom build to fit in different environments. This study contributes to the research community by addressing an expository gap in facilitative technologies for individuals with visually impaired, specifically focusing on indoor navigation for university environments. By integrating GPS technology with preloaded building maps and light and ultrasonic sensors, this system offers a unique, cost-effective, and scalable solution. The portable design and affordability make the system adaptable to several settings and prepare for future progress in assistive technologies. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of collaborative design, setting an example for integrating individuals’ feedback into resultant repetitions, therefore establishing real-world suitability and effectiveness.

The limitation of this study is that the emergency button is not implemented due to some technical errors; however, an alternative option is used to track the location. The emergency button feature will be added in the future. The Smart Guide system can be enhanced by adding additional features in the future, i.e., a communication system between students and security guards. Moreover, 3D printing technique is utilized to design the shape of the stick according to the components attached to it. The primary focus of this study was to design a system for blind university students so they can easily navigate the campus buildings by using the Smart stick, which consists of ultrasonic sensor, GPS, and light sensor. These sensors help blind students to access the location inside the university and assist them in sending real-time locations. These sensors scan the environmental surroundings and give alarms in case of any obstacles and darkness within the campus. Another limitation of this study is that the application of the Smart stick is not tested outside the university and in different environmental conditions. The unit testing and system testing were conducted to validate the system’s performance, which also include the GPS-based location sharing features. The accuracy of the GPS module has not been tested; however, the preloaded building maps were used to assist the weak or unavailable signals. Future studies will focus on the evaluation of GPs module accuracy and the implementation of this system beyond the university campus.

The blind students from the university were involved in systems testing but their feedback was not gathered. Future studies will focus on the incorporation of blind students’ feedback into the system’s design to make it more usable and effective and optimize it according to the students’ feedback.

This study proposed the Smart Guide system to improve mobility and self-reliance for blind students at KAU. The system incorporates two sub-systems: A Smart Stick enabled with obstacle detection sensors and a GPS module, and a Smart Guide application that provides oral map navigation and voice commands. These features collectively provide real-time assistance and security, and are specialized to the needs of visually impaired students, establishing the system’s perspective as a broad indoor navigation solution within university environments.