RU224760U1 - Attachment for a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people - Google Patents

Abstract

The useful model can be used to inform visually impaired and blind people about the presence of obstacles along their route, both outdoors and indoors. The attachment for a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people contains a housing 1, an ultrasonic distance sensor 2, a vibration motor 3, a boost converter 4, a battery 5, a controller 6, a battery charge controller 7, wireless charging 8, a switch 9, a mounting groove 10, and latches. 11, LED 12, microcontroller 13. The ultrasonic distance sensor 2 is located along the axis of the cane, and in the end part of the body 1 there is a cylindrical groove into which the cane is attached using latches. The utility model allows you to expand the functionality of an ultrasonic device-attachment to a tactile cane, which provides the shortest time interval for obtaining data on the geometry of the surrounding space. 2 salary f-ly, 4 ill.

Description

The proposed utility model relates to medical equipment, in particular to devices for orienting blind people in the surrounding space, and can be used to inform visually impaired and blind people about the presence of obstacles along their path, both outdoors and indoors.

A scanner cane for people with visual impairments is known, described in a utility model patent (RU 141620 U1, A61F 9/08, 10/04/2013). A well-known scanner cane for people with visual impairments is a tactile cane, in the rod and handle of which an electronic information processing unit controlled by a keyboard is mounted, receiving energy from a power module built into the cane and containing a non-volatile memory for storing digitized audio messages, connected via a digital bus to the microprocessor, to which three ultrasonic transceivers are also connected via a matching module.

The closest analogue of the presented utility model is the WeWALK 541050 smart cane, described in the “WeWALK 541050 smart cane user manual”, 03/30/2022, https://ru.manuals.plus/wewalk/541050-smart-cane-manual#axzz88bPrm9m6. The famous smart cane contains a wrist strap hole, a soft grip, tactile buttons, an ultrasonic sensor, a touchpad, an LED, a white cane adapter, an on/off button, and a power supply.

The disadvantages of the known devices are that they are separate, expensive canes with a built-in obstacle detection mechanism, and are not a universal device for attaching to any cane. Also, in known solutions there is no boost converter to raise and stabilize the voltage, and there is no switch to save charge. Known devices are not equipped with a modern fast, efficient, universal method of charging the battery.

The purpose of the proposed utility model is to create an attachment for a tactile cane to prevent collisions of blind people with overhanging obstacles in the urban environment (pay phones, flower beds, balconies, poles, etc.).

The technical result of the proposed utility model is to expand the functionality of an ultrasonic device-attachment for a tactile cane, providing the shortest time interval for obtaining data on the geometry of the surrounding space, the presence of a danger of the user colliding with obstacles from knee height to human height in an automatic mode that does not require mechanical influence aimed at searching for the possible presence of these obstacles.

The technical result is achieved due to the fact that the attachment for a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people, containing an ultrasonic distance sensor, a microcontroller, at least one LED, and a power supply located inside the housing, characterized in that it contains a boost converter electrically connected with a microcontroller, the ultrasonic distance sensor is located along the axis of the cane with the direction of the axes of the ultrasonic flows respectively towards obstacles, the microcontroller is configured to receive information about the distance to the obstacle from the ultrasonic sensor, process it and transmit a control signal to the controller and vibration motor, while in the end part of the housing a cylindrical groove is made, designed to be attached to the cane using latches, while the power supply is made in the form of a battery equipped with a battery charge controller. The battery is designed for wireless charging. The vibration motor is configured to be turned on if the distance from the ultrasonic sensor to the obstacle is less than 1.2 m, and with the ability to be turned off if the distance from the ultrasonic sensor to the obstacle is more than 1.2 m.

The presented utility model is illustrated by the following drawings.

In fig. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of an attachment on a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people.

In fig. Figure 2 shows a frontal view of the attachment on a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people.

In fig. Figure 3 shows a top view of the attachment on a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people.

In fig. Figure 4 shows a side view of the attachment on a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people.

The attachment for a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people contains a housing 1, an ultrasonic distance sensor 2, a vibration motor 3, a boost converter 4, a battery 5, a controller 6, a battery charge controller 7, wireless charging 8, a switch 9, a mounting groove 10, and latches. 11, LED 12, microcontroller 13.

The body of the attachment 1 is made of white plastic and is installed on any white cane, regardless of the handle.

Ultrasonic distance sensor 2 is a device designed to determine the distance from the sensor to an object, containing an emitter that generates ultrasonic waves, a receiver, a quartz resonator, resistors, capacitors and microcircuits.

The ultrasonic distance sensor 2 is fixedly fixed in the housing 1 in such a way as to ensure the detection of obstacles within the range of the ultrasonic transceiver, while the ultrasonic sensor 2 is recessed in the housing 1 for protection from rain and sun. Ultrasonic sensor 2 emits ultrasonic longitudinal waves with a frequency of 40 kHz, which are reflected from almost any surface, even transparent, and the measurements taken will be most accurate if sensor 2 is directed perpendicular to the object.

The transceiver detects any obstacle within a range of 90 degrees vertically and horizontally, completely eliminates collision with obstacles from knee height to human height, recognizes the distance and calculates it. The distance range is from 10 centimeters to 2.5 meters. The information is transmitted to controller 6 and, depending on the distance, it transmits a signal to vibration motor 3. Vibration occurs with a frequency of 40 hertz, and it is transmitted along the cane to the person or the device emits a sound signal with a frequency of 500-1400 hertz through a piezoelectric speaker.

Ultrasonic sensor 2 transmits the received signal to microcontroller 13, which, depending on the distance, transmits the control signal to controller 6 and then to vibration motor 3, vibration occurs, and it is transmitted through the cane to the person. Controller 6 operates on the basis of a specially developed program (algorithm).

Microcontroller 13 receives information about the distance to the obstacle from ultrasonic distance sensor 2. The data passes through a mathematical data filter to remove noise installed on the microcontroller, after which it is processed in a specially developed program. If the distance to the obstacle, recognized by the ultrasonic distance sensor 2, is less than 1.2 m, then a command is transmitted to the controller 6 (control signal to turn on), after which the vibration motor 3 is turned on, if the distance is more than 1.2 m, then a command is transmitted to the controller 6 about shutdown – vibration motor 3 is turned off.

Boost converter 4 is connected from battery charge controller 7. Battery charge controller 7 is needed to charge battery 5 and protect it from overcharge, overdischarge and short circuits. Boost converter 4 is electrically connected to microcontroller 13, performs the function of a voltage stabilizer, and is also designed to raise the voltage from 3.3 to 5 V.

Structurally, the ultrasonic distance sensor 2, vibration motor 3, boost converter 4, battery 5, controller 6 and wireless charging 8 are located inside housing 1.

The LED 12 is used to improve the visibility of a blind person to others in the dark, and also as a visual reference to the operating status of the attachment. LED 12 is connected to microcontroller 13 and works together with vibration motor 3. When vibration motor 3 turns on, LED 12 lights up, when vibration motor 3 turns off, LED 12 goes off.

The attachment on a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people functions as follows.

A blind person installs the attachment on the cane, placing the cane in the cylindrical groove 10 located in the end part of the body 1 and secures it using latches 11. Next, the user turns on the switch 9 by pressing the button, the indicator LED 12 should light up and a sound signal should sound. about switching on, thereby indicating the working status of the nozzle. To charge the nozzle, use battery 5, which is recharged using wireless charging 8 (charging voltage - 5 V, charging current - 1 A). Battery charge 5 lasts for a week.

Ultrasonic distance sensor 2 emits a signal with a frequency of 40 kHz, which, when reflected from an obstacle, returns to the nozzle. As soon as the microcontroller 13, using an ultrasonic distance sensor 2 and based on an algorithm, detects an obstacle (the zone of the ergonomic space of a visually impaired person), it gives a signal to the vibration motor 3. The signal of the triggered vibration motor 3 is felt by a person through the handle of a tactile cane in the form of vibration with a frequency of 40 hertz.

An example of achieving a technical result.

A blind person installs the attachment (overall dimensions of the attachment: length - 97.84 mm; width - 59 mm; height - 40 mm; weight is 240 g) on the Armed KR929 cane next to the handle, turns on the switch - the device emits a sound signal (squeaking) and vibration signal When approaching an obstacle (for example, a barrier) at a distance of 1.2 meters, the device sends a vibration signal to the cane. Reaction time to an obstacle is 0.012 seconds.

The proposed attachment for the cane is lightweight, protected from moisture and sun, charges wirelessly, and most importantly, promptly reports the presence of obstacles in the surrounding space.

Claims (3)

1. An attachment for a tactile cane for spatial orientation of blind people, containing an ultrasonic distance sensor, a microcontroller, at least one LED and a power supply located inside the housing, characterized in that it contains a boost converter electrically connected to the microcontroller, the ultrasonic distance sensor is located along the axis of the cane with the direction of the axes of ultrasonic flows respectively towards obstacles, the microcontroller is designed to receive information from the ultrasonic sensor about the distance to the obstacle, process it and transmit a control signal to the controller and vibration motor, while in the end part of the body there is a cylindrical groove made with the possibility of attaching to a cane using latches, while the power supply is made in the form of a battery equipped with a battery charge controller. 2. An attachment for a tactile cane according to claim 1, characterized in that the battery is capable of wireless charging. 3. The attachment for a tactile cane according to claim 1, characterized in that the vibration motor is designed to be turned on if the distance from the ultrasonic sensor to the obstacle is less than 1.2 m, and with the ability to be turned off if the distance from the ultrasonic sensor to the obstacle is more than 1.2 m.