RU2342108C2 - Electrical leader for blind - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medical technics.

SUBSTANCE: electrical leader for the blind, includes cane with bend at the lower end equipped with control block, the power supply and locators including ultrasonic heads and receivers, its handle is connected to the cable. On the band, at the lower level of the cane the ultrasonic locator and the humidity gauge are installed, on the cane there is the light with the photoresistor made with the possibility of light flashes formation providing acceleration as soon as the moving transport approaches. The control block is connected to the power supply cable, installed in the case and includes infra-red locator, a loudspeaker, control handles and also is equipped with the fixator for placement of the module connected to a cable with the control block and including infra-red locator of the top view.

EFFECT: extension of visual-spatial orientation capability of the blind.

2 cl, 2 dwg, 2 ex

Description

The invention relates to the field of electronics, but, in particular, is used in medical technology as a device for the visually impaired in order to expand the capabilities of the functions of the blind in space. The closest analogue may be the device orientation in space of people with impaired visual function (US 546467 A, 08/08/1970).

Common signs: the cane has a bend at the lower end; On canes at different levels, several sources and receivers of infrared signals are connected to a common information processing device. Known ultrasonic cane Batcane, developed by Alem Technologi (SAT) in 2002, in which the control unit and the cane are made detachable in two parts, which allows you to detect an obstacle at a height of human growth.

The advantage of the proposed device is the ability to more effectively expand the functions of orienting a person in space by supplying a cane and a control unit with additional information elements.

1. Installation on the lower end of the cane (on the bend) of the humidity sensor to detect puddles, dirt.

2. Installation at the lower end of the cane of the locator to detect obstacles at the lower level, as the very first and lower point of the obstacle when moving forward.

3. Installation of a beacon with a photoresistor, which generates light flashes with an increase in approaching moving vehicles when crossing a road or rail track for safety.

4. In order to move the "field of view of space" the device has a portable module that is equipped with a locator with infrared rays, which can be moved relative to the control unit, as Two latches are provided for fixing the module both on the control unit body and on the cane.

5. For the purpose of convenience at home, only the control unit is used, without a cane, since it is mounted on the device’s power supply unit, an amplifier for amplifying all signals, in the form of audio information, distinguishable by the frequency of tonal sounds (humidity, obstacles, beacon).

6. When orienting in space (North-South), a connection is provided for connecting the "Electronic compass for the blind", which is not described here.

The figure 1 gives the following notation:

Pos. 1 - Control unit housing.

Pos. 3 - Lock for fastening the module 4.

Pos.4 - Portable module.

Pos. 5 - IR emitter.

Pos.6 - Cable for transmitting information from the IR locator to the control unit.

Pos. 7 - IR Locator Receiver.

Pos. 9 - Volume control.

Pos.10 - Power on the entire device.

Pos.11 - The sensitivity control of the IR locator.

Pos.12 - Switch for recharging the battery.

Pos. 14 - Cable for connecting the power supply.

Pos.15 - Cable connecting the cane to the power supply.

The figure 2 gives the following notation:

Pos.15 - connection of the cane with the power supply and control unit.

Pos.16 - The handle of a cane.

Pos. 17 - Toggle switch for beacon 20.

Pos.18 - The housing in which the device diagram, the locator 25 and the humidity sensor 26 are located.

Pos. 19 - Lock for securing module 4.

Pos. 20 - Beacon housing.

Pos.21 - Window of the photoresistor of the beacon.

Pos.22 - Window for transmitting light flashes in the direction of a moving vehicle.

Pos.23 - Cane.

Pos.25 - The low-level locator, which consists of the source F1 and the receiver.

Pos.26 - Humidity sensor.

All circuits of individual nodes are made according to well-known electronics circuits.

Example 1. An electronic guide is used in an unfamiliar area. The toggle switch 10 on the control unit 1 turns on the power of all nodes as a whole: to the lower level locator 25 (on the bend of the cane), to the locator on module 4, to the humidity detection circuit, to the beacon circuit with photoresistor 20, to the low-frequency amplifier (in case 1 )

When moving the cane 23 on the ground, the locator 25, consisting of a transmitter and a receiver, transmits information about the obstacle with a signal with a frequency of F1 to the input of a low-frequency amplifier, then the amplified signal is transmitted through the speaker to a blind person who picks up the tonality of this frequency. As you approach the obstacle, the strength of the sound changes. With a certain skill, a person determines the distance more accurately. When a puddle of dirt appears, the humidity sensor generates a signal with a frequency of F2, which is also transmitted to the low-frequency amplifier.

When installing module 4 on the latch 19, the signal source is an IR emitter with a frequency of F3, the receiver of which emits an obstacle signal at the level of the latch 19 — an average level.

When fixing module 4 on the housing 1, it will give out information about the obstacle at the level of the belt (upper level). When crossing the road, rails, a beacon 20 with a photoresistor 21 is provided, it is turned on from the toggle switch 17. As the moving vehicle approaches, the beacon emits light flashes through window 22 and at the same time an audio signal with the same flash frequency. The sound is also amplified by an amplifier through a loudspeaker, transmitted to the blind, and it makes an appropriate decision. The photoresistor, depending on the illumination, gives out the frequency of flashes of the beacon.

Example 2. At home, the cane is disconnected from the control unit 1, because on the case there is a latch 3 for fastening the module 4, on which the IR emitter 5 and the receiver 7 are installed, with the help of which an obstacle is detected at the level of the belt in any direction when the body is rotated. There are handles on the control unit 1: volume control 9, power on 10, sensitivity adjustment knob 11, switch for recharging the battery 12 for orientation (North-South direction), connection 15 for connecting the “Electronic compass for the blind” is provided. (The description as a separate part is not given).

Claims (2)

1. An electronic guide for the blind, containing a cane with a bend, at the lower end equipped with a control unit, a power source and locators, including emitters and receivers, to the handle of which a cable is connected, characterized in that an ultrasonic locator and a sensor are installed on the bend at the lower level of the cane humidity, a beacon with a photoresistor is mounted on the cane, made with the possibility of forming light flashes with increasing speed as the moving vehicle approaches, and a latch for placing the module, the control unit is connected inen cable with a power source and installed in the housing, includes an infrared locator, loudspeaker, control knobs and is equipped with a latch to accommodate a module connected by a cable to the control unit and includes an infrared locator top view. 2. The electronic guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle has a connection for connecting an electronic compass for the blind.

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