JP2002123890A - Guidance system for visually impaired person - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guidance system allowing a visually impaired person to go to a desired place by her himself without getting lost. SOLUTION: Voice information modules 5 are installed on a sidewalk 2 and at main positions, such as bus stops 12, and an antenna 6 is provided at the end of a cane carried around by a visually impaired person 1. By bringing the antenna 6 close to the module 5, stored information is sensed and converted into voice information for hearing with earphones 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guide system which enables a visually impaired person to go to a target place without hesitation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Guides for visually impaired persons (maps) so that visually impaired persons can walk to a target location by themselves.
Are located throughout the city. The guide plate is formed with braille protruding from the surface at main places, so that a visually impaired person can touch the guide plate to know what is at each place. That is, stations, bus terminals,
It is possible to know where department stores, hospitals, etc. are located, and it is possible to walk based on the current position.

[0003] However, it is impossible to know at all what road from the current position to a predetermined destination, where there is a traffic light or a pedestrian crossing, and where the entrance of the target building is. Braille blocks for the visually impaired are provided on the sidewalk, and you can walk along these braille blocks and stop at intersections and crosswalks. It is not easy to walk while remembering your current location. In addition, in many cases, it is not known which direction to go when coming to an intersection or a crosswalk. Of course, if the guide board for the visually impaired person installed in the city area is not known, the map of the whole city cannot be grasped, and the user cannot walk at all.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional guide plate provided for the visually impaired and the Braille blocks provided on the sidewalk alone have the above-mentioned problems. The problems to be solved by the present invention are these problems, and provide a guidance system that enables a visually impaired person to know his / her current location while walking and to go to a target location without hesitation.

[0005]

A guide system for the visually impaired according to the present invention has a voice information module embedded in a road surface on which a braille block is laid, and the guide information stored in the voice information module. To be able to walk based on That is, when the visually impaired approaches the voice information module, the tip antenna of the white cane carried by the visually impaired senses it, and this is converted into voice by the controller. By hearing this voice via earphones, the current location, direction, and the like can be known.

Here, the means for sensing the guidance information of the voice information module is not limited to a white cane, and a shoe worn may have a built-in antenna. The guidance information recorded in the voice information module is not particularly limited. For example, it is possible to record a current town name, an address, a direction, and a destination at a bus stop. Therefore, a visually impaired person can go to a target place without hesitation while sensing voice information modules installed in various places. Here, the place where the voice information module is installed is not limited, and the specific information content is also arbitrary. Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows a case where a visually impaired person 1 is walking on a sidewalk 2 in the form of a cartoon. The visually impaired person 1 is required to carry the white cane 3 and follows the tip of the white cane 3 while tracing his / her feet, but the sidewalk 2 is braille so that the visually impaired person 1 can walk easily. Blocks 4, 4,... Are provided, and the user can walk along these Braille blocks 4, 4,. Also, the Braille blocks 4, 4,... Are yellow so that the visually impaired can understand to some extent.

[0008] Voice information modules 5 are embedded in the sidewalks in places of the Braille blocks 4, 4 ... along which the visually impaired person 1 walks. The guidance information stored in the voice information module 5 is generally the position of the place where it is installed, but the visually impaired person 1 needs to bring the tip of the white cane 3 carried close to the voice information module 5. Can be sensed.

Since the tip of the white cane 3 is an antenna 6, the voice information module 5 is sensed and the stored guidance information is transmitted to a controller 7 attached to the waist. Then, the controller 7 converts the guidance information transmitted from the antenna 6 into an actual voice, and can hear it through the earphone 8 fitted in the ear. Visually impaired 1
When the tip of the white stick 3 held by the user approaches the audio information module 5, the sound can be heard from the white stick 3 with the earphone 8 via the controller 7.

The specific structures of the voice information module 5, the antenna 6 of the white stick 3, and the controller 7 are not limited. The guidance information stored in the voice information module 5 differs depending on the application, and the current location of the town name and the address is generally used. There are also cases where an expression method is used such as, for example, at what distance, at what distance, at what distance.

FIG. 2 shows a case where the voice information module 5 is installed near the intersection of the sidewalk 2. When the visually impaired person 1 walks along the Braille blocks 4, 4,..., And when the white stick 3 approaches the voice information module 5,
You can know by voice what kind of intersection it is. Then, as shown in (b), the direction can be notified by installing another voice information module 5a, 5b, 5c on the left, right, and front of the main voice information module 5.

By bringing the white stick 3 close to the voice information module 5, it is possible to know by voice the location of the intersection.
When the white stick 3 approaches the voice information module 5b, it is possible to know the guidance of the facilities and buildings existing in front of the intersection, and similarly, when approaching the voice information module 5a, the facilities and the like existing to the right are further added. By approaching the audio information module 5c, the facility or the like located to the left can be heard via audio. Therefore, at this intersection, the visually impaired person 1 can know in which direction to walk.

FIG. 3 shows a case where the voice information module 5 is provided at a bus stop. The voice information module 5 can notify the destination of the bus 9 stopping at the bus stop 12 and the traveling route. FIG. 4 shows a case where the voice information module 5 is installed on the platform 13 of the station. In the case of the train 10, the train 10
Although it is not necessary to know the destination of the vehicle, the number of the vehicle to be stopped can be announced by voice. That is, since there are unreserved vehicles, reserved vehicles, or green vehicles, for example, when using a reserved seat, the voice information module 5 can inform the user where to get on. Therefore, it is preferable that the platform 13 of the station be installed at the entrance of each vehicle where the train 10 stops.

FIG. 5 shows a case where the voice information module 5 is installed in a corridor, a passage, or an underpass of a large building.
In this case, similarly to the intersection shown in FIG. 2, it is provided near the intersection where the passages 11 and 11 intersect. By installing the voice information module for the visually impaired person 1 in various places such as a sidewalk and a bus stop, the visually impaired person 1 can go to a target place without hesitation.

Needless to say, in order to guide the visually impaired person 1, it is possible to notify the user by making an announcement using a speaker without installing a voice information module on the road surface or the like.
However, if the announcement is always given, it would be annoying to a normal healthy person, and the system of the present invention is a guide system exclusively for the visually impaired in consideration of the position of a healthy person.

As described above, in the guidance system for the visually impaired according to the present invention, a voice information module is installed on a sidewalk or a bus stop, etc., and guidance information stored in the voice information module is sensed and converted into voice to be heard. Thus, the following effects can be obtained.

[0017]

The guide system for the visually impaired person according to the present invention has a voice information module installed on a sidewalk or a bus stop, and the visually impaired person can bring the tip of the white cane held close to the voice information module. Then, the antenna at the tip can be detected and converted to voice by the controller for listening. Therefore, by installing this voice information module near an intersection of a sidewalk, a bus stop, an intersection of a passage, or the like, a visually impaired person can go to a target place without hesitation. Even if the guide system is installed on a sidewalk or the like, it does not bother ordinary healthy persons at all.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a visually impaired person guidance system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a case where a voice information module is installed near an intersection of a sidewalk.

FIG. 3 shows a case where a voice information module is installed at a bus stop.

FIG. 4 shows a case where a voice information module is installed on a platform of a station.

FIG. 5 shows a case where a voice information module is installed in a passage of an underpass.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Blind person 2 Sidewalk 3 White stick 4 Braille block 5 Audio information module 6 Antenna 7 Controller 8 Earphone 9 Bus 10 Train 11 Passage 12 Bus stop 13 Station platform

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A guide system that enables a visually impaired person to go to a destination alone by installing a voice information module at a main place such as a sidewalk or a bus stop, and a white cane carried by the visually impaired person. An antenna is provided at the tip to sense the stored information by approaching the audio information module, and a controller for converting the sensed audio information to audio is provided. Guide system for visually impaired people who can listen to directions. 2. A guide system that enables a visually impaired person to go to a destination alone by installing an audio information module at a main place such as a sidewalk or a bus stop, An antenna is provided to sense stored information by stepping on the voice information module, and a controller for converting the sensed voice information into voice is provided. Guide system for visually impaired people to listen to 3. The guidance system for a visually handicapped person according to claim 1, wherein another voice information module for notifying the direction to the front and left and right of the voice information module is installed in combination.