RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Technology) is making its way into numerous applications and devices. In its first venture outdoors, Yelamarthi and five senior engineering students from Michigan University have created an RFID-embedded walking cane, the Smart Cane, which aids the blind in avoiding obstacles. Employing the technology, the Smart Cane can identify electrical navigation tags installed between buildings, leading the visually impaired across the street more safely and easily.
To function just well, the Smart Cane is embedded with an ultrasonic sensor, which is tagged with a small navigation system placed within a sling-bag that the user has to carry. When the sensor system detects an obstacle, the blind person is alerted to it by a voice command prompted out of a speaker on the bag-strap, guiding the individual to the side he should move to.
For the dual impaired, with both visual and hearing impairments, the team has created a special vibrating glove that functions as a commanding mechanism for them. The Smart Cane is far from being a full-proof device yet, and can therefore be refined further, maybe with a GPS installation or something. That could even help the impaired if they lost their way somehow.
Via: MSNBC
