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The idea for our project started when we saw how many cars and other obstacles were left precariously on the sidewalk and how dangerous it could possibly be for people who have a visual disability. Creating a device that detects objects and informs users would improve navigation in their daily lives.
The purpose of our project is to create a device that makes walking through our streets less hazardous for visually impaired people.
We investigated this problem and found that approximately 297,000 people in Ireland are blind or have some form of visual impairment. According to a survey by the NCBI, “Almost 50 per cent of blind or visually impaired people have been injured as a result of unexpected obstacles or hazards on footpaths” (Irish Times, 2023). Parking cars on the footpath is illegal, but people still choose to do it. This makes the lives of visually impaired people exceedingly difficult.
We programmed an Arduino board and used ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles which make the stick vibrate through the use of mini vibration motors. Our aim is to combine advanced technology and the stick to aid visually impaired people navigate the world around them.
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