Development of Arduino-Based Ultrasonic Smart Glasses with Haptic Feedback for Visually Impaired Users

This paper presents the design and evaluation of ultrasonic glasses to enhance the mobility and environmental perception of individuals with visual impairments. The primary focus of this research lies in integrating ultrasonic sensors strategically embedded within the framework of the glasses. This data is translated into comprehensive auditory or tactile feedback through innovative signal processing techniques, providing users with crucial information about obstacles, distances, and object localisation. Moreover, the development process involves iterative design improvements based on user feedback and ergonomic considerations to ensure comfort, ease of use, and aesthetic appeal. Also, the temperature and humidity of the tested environment are 25 °C and 45% humidity in dry weather. The results obtained from the evaluation process show that the ultrasonic sensor accurately detected obstacles within the 20 to 60 cm range. Measurement errors were minimal, ranging from 0.2 cm to 0.7 cm, ensuring reliable detection and timely feedback. The feedback mechanisms, consisting of a vibrator motor and buzzer, demonstrated quick response times, ranging from 55 ms to 65 ms for the vibrator motor and 60 ms to 70 ms for the buzzer. The system's power consumption increased linearly, ranging from 15 mA.h at 10 minutes to 90 mA.h at 60 minutes. The developed ultrasonic glass Li-ion 3V battery reached full charge in 100 minutes. The ultrasonic glasses have a life span of one day at full operational capacity at full charge for 300 minutes (5 hours). This predictable energy usage ensures the device can operate efficiently for extended periods, supported by the Li-ion 3V battery.