NAVIG: Guidance system for the visually impaired using virtual augmented reality

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Katz, Brian F.G.^{a; *} | Dramas, Florian^{b; c} | Parseihian, Gaëtan^a | Gutierrez, Olivier^b | Kammoun, Slim^b | Brilhault, Adrien^{b; c} | Brunet, Lucie^a | Gallay, Mathieu^a | Oriola, Bernard^b | Auvray, Malika^a | Truillet, Philippe^b | Denis, Michel^a | Thorpe, Simon^c | Jouffrais, Christophe^b

Affiliations: [a] LIMSI-CNRS, Université Paris Sud, Orsay, France | [b] IRIT, CNRS & Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France | [c] CerCo, CNRS & Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: B.F.G. Katz, LIMSI-CNRS, Université Paris Sud, 91403 Orsay, France. Tel.: +33 1 69 85 80 80; Fax: +33 1 69 85 80 88; E-mail: brian.katz@limsi.fr.

Abstract: Finding ones way to an unknown destination, navigating complex routes, finding inanimate objects; these are all tasks that can be challenging for the visually impaired. The project NAVIG (Navigation Assisted by artificial VIsion and GNSS) is directed towards increasing the autonomy of visually impaired users in known and unknown environments, exterior and interior, large scale and small scale, through a combination of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and rapid visual recognition with which the precise position of the user can be determined. Relying on geographical databases and visually identified objects, the user is guided to his or her desired destination through spatialized semantic audio rendering, always maintained in the head-centered reference frame. This paper presents the overall project design and architecture of the NAVIG system. In addition, details of the new type of detection and localization device are presented in relation to guidance directives developed through participative design with potential users and educators for the visually impaired. A fundamental concept in this project is the belief that this type of assistive device is able to solve one of the major problems faced by the visually impaired: their difficulty in localizing specific objects.

Keywords: Assisted navigation, guidance, spatial audio, visually impaired assistive device, need analysis

DOI: 10.3233/TAD-2012-0344

Journal: Technology and Disability, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 163-178, 2012