Assisting personal guidance system for people with visual impairment

Current satellite navigation systems provide information mostly through graphical displays or verbal output, which are not convenient for people with reduced vision or people who have to operate in environments where verbal instructions could interfere with other external sounds. The ARGUS challenge is to meet the integration of advanced user interfaces based on innovative acoustic and haptic signals, with minimal interference on the user’s perception and operation so that he/she can move around autonomously based on a three-dimensional mental map of the path to follow. ARGUS will lead users along a secure path, warning on the risks that may find along the path and ensuring that the user does not deviate from the safe route. Finally, in addition to the navigation system, an on-line service will be set-up for in situ routing assistance and a web-based collaborative environment including a social network will be developed for enabling users to share routes, data and experiences.

Binaural sounds create the illusion that sounds produced by stereo headphones come from specific directions and distances, based on the interaural differences (arrival time and amplitude between the ears). This allows users perceiving 3D sound positioning, which can be used to guide visually impaired persons following a route (controlled via GNSS) giving a sense of 3D navigation.

All the ARGUS partners made intensive tests aiming to demonstrate that binaural sounds could help people with reduced vision to perceive clearly the direction and distance of the sound source. Several visually impaired people and staff of emergency and rescue teams were invited to try different audio headphones. The tests had two different objectives: 1) evaluate the users’ acceptance of the different headphones in terms of sound perception, non-disturbance hearing and comfort; 2) collect feedback from end users on binaural sounds and track perceptions. Binaural acoustic files where produced with acoustic binaural tracks consisting on sounds coming from moving sources.

The results were very encouraging. Most users could feel and understand correctly the 3D sound information, and confirmed that this innovative guidance concept could be beneficial for them.

During the first year of the project the tasks related with user and functional requirements specification have been accomplished. Besides, the general architecture of the ARGUS system and the modules involved in it have been designed. Also development tasks for each relevant ARGUS component have been started. More in detail, work is being focused on user terminal hardware design, development of the application platform for routing service delivery, and advanced options such as multilayer information management and social network for end users. A preliminary proof of concept of the guidance support system, using map/tracks, binaural sounds and satellite signals has been tested successfully with end-users. Although the users were aware that this was a preliminary prototype they were satisfied with ARGUS system guiding capability, simplicity and non-disturbance of the solution.
In parallel, dissemination activities will be carried out constantly such as the presentation of the project at Real Corp 2012 event on 14-16 May, Schwechat (Austria). ARGUS is on the social networks:
Twitter
Facebook
Linkedin