Step Simple – Guiding the Visually Challenged

Abstract: This project presents the design and implementation of a smart blind stick prototype aimed at enhancing the mobility and safety of visually impaired individuals. The Blind Stick integrates an ultrasonic sensor, USB web camera, speakers, to provide object detection, The prototype leverages an Raspberry pi microcontroller to efficiently manage the sensor data and interactions. The ultrasonic sensor is employed to detect obstacles in the user's path, triggering a speak out to warn the user of potential collisions. The integration of a switch allows the user to initiate an emergency alert. Upon pressing the switch, Additionally, the Blind Stick prototype capitalizes on computer vision techniques through the utilization of the YOLO (You Only Look Once) framework. Connected to a PC, the Blind Stick leverages a USB web camera to capture images. Detected objects are then identified using YOLO, and corresponding audio alerts are relayed to the user through the earphones, enabling the user to understand their surroundings more comprehensively.

Keywords: Embedded system. raspberry pi, ultrasonic sensor, YOLO