WO2024071984A1 - Smart cane for visually impaired person - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a smart cane for a visually impaired person, wherein the smart cane can recognize nearby obstacles using sensors and warn the visually impaired person of the surrounding situation using auditory signals. A smart cane for a visually impaired person according to one aspect of the present invention may comprise: a handle part which is shaped such that the visually impaired person can grasp the handle part with his or her hand; a pillar part which extends downward from the handle part and the lower end of which comes into contact with the ground to support the load transmitted from the handle part; proximity sensors which are provided on the handle part or pillar part and sense the position and distance of surrounding objects; a speaker which transmits information about the position and distance of the surrounding objects using speech or alarm sounds according to what is sensed by the proximity sensors; and a control unit which receives the information sensed by the proximity sensors, organizes the position or movement information about the surrounding objects on the basis of the information, and controls so that the corresponding speech or alarm sound is output through the speaker.

Description

Smart cane for the visually impaired

The present invention relates to a smart cane for the visually impaired, and more specifically, to a smart cane for the visually impaired that can detect nearby obstacles using a sensor and warn the visually impaired of the surrounding situation through auditory signals.

[National research and development project that supported this invention]

[Assignment number] 1465028599

[Assignment number] HI17C0659000019

[Ministry Name] Ministry of Health and Welfare

[Project management (professional) organization name] Korea Health Industry Development Institute

[Research project name] Disease-centered translational-based research

[Research project title] Development and validation of a meibomian gland imaging system for mice to study meibomian gland dysfunction, an important cause of dry eye syndrome

[Contribution rate] 50/100

[Name of project carrying out organization] Catholic University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation

[Research period] 2017.04.10 ~ 2019.12.31

[National research and development project that supported this invention]

[Assignment number] 1711163820

[Assignment number] NRF-2020R1A2C1005009

[Ministry Name] Ministry of Science and ICT

[Name of project management (professional) organization] National Research Foundation of Korea

[Research Project Name] Individual Basic Research (Ministry of Science and ICT)

[Research project title] Development of a simulator that allows patients to experience what the world actually looks like when a multifocal intraocular lens is inserted before cataract surgery

[Contribution rate] 50/100

[Name of project carrying out organization] Catholic University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation

[Research period] 2020.03.01 ~ 2025.02.28

Visually impaired is a concept that includes both blind people and people with low vision. People suffering from visual impairment can be commonly found around us. Visual impairment is not just a matter of an individual's abnormal vision; it also leads to a decline in the ability to cope with the surrounding environment. Accordingly, there is a problem that visually impaired people's desire and motivation for outdoor activities decreases, which directly leads to a decrease in the individual's quality of life.

Visually impaired people show a variety of clinical aspects depending on the individual, ranging from total blindness, where they cannot see light completely, to people with low vision, who can vaguely recognize objects. Accordingly, various means to assist the activities of people with low vision, excluding total blindness, have been devised in the past. However, in the case of a conventional cane for the visually impaired, the presence or absence of an obstacle below the user's waist can only be confirmed by simply hitting the walking distance within about 1 to 2 meters in front of the visually impaired user. In other words, using a conventional cane for the visually impaired, it is difficult for the visually impaired to distinguish whether an obstacle that may be encountered while walking is an object or a living thing, and the distance to the obstacle is determined by the visually impaired person's senses. There was a problem that was only predictable.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to convert auditory signals to inform the visually impaired of the distance and location of objects in the surrounding environment while wearing it and moving around, thereby ensuring the safety of the visually impaired. The goal is to provide a smart cane for the visually impaired that allows them to walk.

The problems of the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a handle portion formed in a shape that a visually impaired person can grasp with his or her hand; a pillar portion extending downward from the handle portion and having a lower end in contact with the ground to support a load transmitted from the handle portion; A proximity sensor provided in the handle or pillar to detect the position and distance of surrounding objects; A speaker that transmits information about the location and distance of surrounding objects through voice or an alarm sound according to what is detected by the proximity sensor; And a smart wand for the visually impaired including a control unit that receives information detected from the proximity sensor, organizes location or movement information about surrounding objects based on this, and controls the corresponding voice or alarm sound to be output to the speaker. provided.

At this time, a plurality of proximity sensors may be installed to detect the distance to each object in front, left, and right of the cane, and a plurality of proximity sensors may be installed according to the height to detect the distance depending on the height of the cane.

At this time, the control unit distinguishes between moving and stationary objects according to distance information detected from a plurality of proximity sensors, and determines the direction and height of the object detected by the plurality of proximity sensors, and the number of combination cases according to movement. Each can be controlled to output a different sound.

At this time, an on-off switch may be provided on the handle or pillar part.

At this time, a plug may be assembled at the lower end of the pillar portion, and a pressure sensor may be provided at the lower end of the plug so that a visually impaired person can determine the state of pressing the ground.

At this time, the control unit can read information from the proximity sensor only when a signal is input to the pressure sensor.

At this time, the proximity sensor may be an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, or a lidar sensor.

At this time, a plurality of proximity sensors may be installed to detect objects in the front and left and right directions.

At this time, it may further include a vibrator that is installed in the handle and shares the output information transmitted from the control unit to the speaker and outputs it as vibration.

At this time, when the handle is held and pressed, it further includes a direction indicator that guides and warns the cane to tilt in one direction as a whole, and the direction indicator has a flat shape with a cross-section larger than the cross-section of the pillar at the lower end of the pillar, making it stable. A case supporting the pillar portion; A plurality of damper legs are disposed radially around a central axis inside the case and each has a lower end supported by the elastic force of a spring installed inside the case so as to elastically support the ground; and a plurality of stoppers installed at the center of the central axis and capable of moving forward and backward so as to enter and exit stop holes formed in each of the plurality of damper legs to prevent the damper legs from moving up and down.

According to the above configuration, the smart cane for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention measures the presence of an obstacle within a predetermined range in front when the user moves, whether the obstacle moves, the distance to the obstacle, etc. It can be provided auditorily quickly and accurately to visually impaired users. In addition, obstacles located at eye level or height, which are the most feared by visually impaired people when going out, can be quickly and accurately detected, allowing visually impaired people to overcome their fear of going out of the house.

In addition, the presence or absence of a hole in front and the distance to the hole are detected and the possibility of an unnecessary fall accident can be eliminated by quickly notifying the visually impaired person of this through hearing. Furthermore, since it can be notified by sound such as voice whether a visually impaired person is approaching a dangerous area while moving, safety accidents can be prevented more effectively.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a rear view of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a block diagram of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a front view of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a partial operational diagram of a smart wand for the visually impaired according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the operation of a smart wand for the visually impaired according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of portion A shown in FIG. 8.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention. The present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts not related to the description have been omitted in the drawings, and identical or similar components are given the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

The words and terms used in this specification and claims are not to be construed as limited in their usual or dictionary meanings, but according to the principle that the inventor can define terms and concepts in order to explain his or her invention in the best way. It must be interpreted with meaning and concepts consistent with technical ideas.

Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configuration shown in the drawings correspond to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and do not represent the entire technical idea of the present invention, so the configuration may be replaced by various alternatives at the time of filing of the present invention. There may be equivalents and variations.

In this specification, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to describe the existence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, but are not intended to describe the presence of one or more other features. It should be understood that it does not exclude in advance the possibility of the existence or addition of elements, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

A component being “in front,” “rear,” “above,” or “below” another component means that it is in direct contact with the other component, unless there are special circumstances. This includes not only those placed at the “bottom” but also cases where another component is placed in the middle. In addition, the fact that a component is "connected" to another component includes not only being directly connected to each other, but also indirectly connected to each other, unless there are special circumstances.

Hereinafter, a smart cane 10 for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the smart cane 10 for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a handle portion 11, a pillar portion 12, a proximity sensor 20, a speaker 30, It may include a control unit 50.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the handle portion 12 may be shaped so that a visually impaired person can hold it with his or her hand. This shape of the handle portion 11 can be used because many ergonomic designs have already been designed.

At this time, the handle portion 11 or the pillar portion 12 may be provided with an on-off switch 40. Placing an on-off switch on or near the handle portion 11 can improve convenience in use.

At this time, the handle portion 11 can be made of a hard material, preferably made of wood or a material with a wood pattern similar thereto.

At this time, referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle portion 11 may be formed into a short side and a long side centered on the base portion 12. In the case of a right-handed person, the thumb and index finger may be placed on the shorter side.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 , the pillar portion 12 extends downward from the handle portion 11 and has a lower end in contact with the ground to support the load transmitted from the handle portion 11.

At this time, the on-off switch 40 described above may be disposed on the pillar portion 12.

At this time, the pillar portion 12 must be made of a material that is light and can well support the load along the longitudinal direction. Here, metals such as stainless steel or synthetic resins can be applied.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the proximity sensor 20 is provided on the handle part 11 or the pillar part 12 and can detect the position and distance of surrounding objects.

At this time, the proximity sensor 20 may be an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, or a lidar sensor. Here, the application of a LiDAR sensor is used as an example. LiDAR sensor stands for Light Detection And Ranging or Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging. It is a technology that serves as the eyes of autonomous driving by shining a laser on a target and detecting the distance to the object and various physical properties. It can detect surrounding objects and geographical features and model them into 3D images.

At this time, a plurality of proximity sensors 20 may be installed to detect objects in the front and left and right directions. Here, a total of nine proximity sensors (20) are installed, three along the height in the front and one on the left and right. By doing this, more precise detection of nearby objects and their movement status can be accurately detected.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the speaker 30 can transmit information about the location and distance of surrounding objects through voice or an alarm sound according to what is detected by the proximity sensor 20. The speaker 30 is built into the pillar 12, and sound can be transmitted to the outside through the speaker hole 12a.

Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit 50 receives information detected from the proximity sensor 20, organizes location or movement information about surrounding objects based on this, and sends a voice or alarm sound corresponding thereto through the speaker. It can be controlled to be output as (30).

At this time, the control unit 50 can read information from the proximity sensor 20 only when a signal is input to the pressure sensor 14. The proximity sensor 20 can be operated only when the pressure sensor 14 provided at the bottom of the pillar 12 is pressed on, and cannot be operated when it is turned off. That is, by allowing the proximity sensor 20 to operate only when the wand is standing vertically in the correct position, accurate object detection and detection of the surrounding environment can be achieved, and by removing noise that may occur in the off state, more accurate surroundings can be achieved. Detection of the environment and objects becomes possible.

At this time, the control unit 50 can control the output of different warning sounds depending on the movement or stationary state of the detected nearby object. That is, for example, if the object detected according to the information detected from the proximity sensor 20 is a moving object, it is classified as an object A, and if it is not moving, it is classified as an object B, and a warning sound corresponding to the movement is generated as a different type of warning sound. It can be provided as

That is, a plurality of proximity sensors 20 may be installed to detect the distance to each object in front, left, and right of the cane, and a plurality of proximity sensors 20 may be installed according to the height to detect the distance depending on the height of the cane. Referring to Table 1 below, the proximity sensor 20 can be installed at three heights: top, middle, and bottom. thereafter. The control unit 50 distinguishes between moving objects and stationary objects according to the distance information detected by the plurality of proximity sensors 20, and determines the direction, height, and movement of the objects detected by the plurality of proximity sensors 20. It can be controlled to output different sounds for each combination.

Therefore, according to Table 1 below, a total of 9 proximity sensors 20 can be installed, and since the sound output is different depending on whether there is movement, a total of 18 types of sound can be output depending on the situation. Therefore, visually impaired people can hear this type of sound and quickly and accurately recognize that there is an object or obstacle in which direction and at a certain height. In addition, when the same object is detected by a plurality of proximity sensors 20, that is, when there is an object on the boundary line, the type of sound can be overlapped or output in quick succession to inform the user. This type of sound can be based on a warning sound or by voice, and in very complex cases, it is preferable to give voice notification.

Sensor (position)	movement	Output sound type
S11 (upper front)	O/X	A11/B11
S12 (upper left)	O/X	A12/B12
S13 (upper right)	O/X	A13/B13
S21 (middle front)	O/X	A21/B21
S22 (middle left)	O/X	A22/B22
S23 (middle right)	O/X	A23/B23
S31 (lower front)	O/X	A31/B31
S32 (lower left)	O/X	A32/B32
S33 (lower right)	O/X	A33/B33

At this time, the control unit 50 can control the warning sound to be output by changing the interval depending on the distance of the detected nearby object. For example, the interval between warning sounds can be reduced as the distance between detected objects gets closer. Of course, in the opposite case, the output can be output so that the gap is further apart. The wand according to the present invention may further include a vibrator 31 driven by a vibration motor. The vibrator 31 is installed on the handle 11 and can share output information transmitted from the control unit 50 to the speaker 30 and output it as vibration. In other words, it is possible to inform a visually impaired person of the surrounding situation through not only hearing but also tactile aspects. Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a smart cane 10 for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. A handle portion 11, a pillar portion 12, and a plug 13 are installed in order from the top. The handle 11 is a part that a visually impaired person holds with his or her hand, and the transmitted load is transmitted to the plug 13 through the pillar portion 12. The plug 13 is made of a shock absorbing material such as rubber, and can absorb some of the shock and noise when the cane 10 touches the ground. A total of 9 proximity sensors 20 are installed on the pillar 12, with 3 each on the front, left, and right sides at the top, middle, and bottom heights. The proximity sensor 20 detects objects in front and on the left and right and transmits them to the control unit 50.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, front and rear views of a smart wand for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. A speaker 30 is installed at the rear of the cane 10, through which auditory information can be transmitted to the visually impaired. An on-off switch 40 is installed near the handle 11, and can be turned off when not in use to save power. A pressure switch, which is a pressure sensor 14, is installed at the bottom of the plug 13 to sense pressure when the cane 10 is pressed against the ground and transmit it to the control unit 50 to remove noise and accurately detect the proximity sensor 20. can be accomplished.

Referring to Figure 4, it is a block diagram of a smart cane for the visually impaired according to an embodiment of the present invention. The proximity sensor 20 transmits information to the control unit 50 and at the same time, the control unit 50 can control the operation of the proximity sensor 20 according to the signal received from the pressure sensor 14. The control unit 50 can also be turned on and off according to a command of the on-off switch 40 operated by a visually impaired person. The control unit 50 can analyze the information input from the proximity sensor 20 and transmit it to the visually impaired through the speaker 30, and can also transmit it through the vibrator 31. The control unit 50 may be linked to the smartphone 52 through Bluetooth 51 to enable control of the wand 10 through an app.

Meanwhile, as another embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIG. 5, a front view of a smart wand 110 for the visually impaired is shown. In the previous embodiment of the present invention, when the handle 111 is held and pressed, a direction indicator 130 that guides and warns the cane 110 to tilt in one direction may be further included.

At this time, the direction indicator 130 is formed at the lower end of the pillar 112 in a flat shape with a cross-section larger than that of the pillar 112, and is a case 132 that stably supports the pillar 112. And, a plurality of them are arranged radially around the central axis inside the case 132, and the lower ends are each supported by the elastic force of the spring 136 installed inside the case 132 so as to elastically support the ground. The damper legs 133 are installed at the center of the central axis and can move forward and backward so as to enter and exit the stop holes 133a formed in each of the plurality of damper legs 133, thereby lifting and lowering the damper legs 133. It may include a plurality of stoppers 135 that prevent.

At this time, the handle portion 111, the pillar portion 112, and the proximity sensor 120 are all installed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment.

At this time, a plug portion 131 is formed on the upper part of the case 132 and can be assembled with the pillar portion 112.

At this time, the plurality of damper legs 133 are each installed with a spring 136 in the insertion groove 132a of the case 132, and each of the lower ends elastically touches the ground to support the pillar portion 112. do.

Referring to Figure 6, a bottom view of a smart wand for the visually impaired according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The lower surface of the case 132 is shown, and damper legs 133 are installed at every 90 degrees around the central axis of the case 132.

Referring to FIG. 7, a partial operation diagram of the smart wand 110 for the visually impaired according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown, and FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the operation. When the stopper 135 on one side operates, the corresponding damper leg 133 cannot enter the inside of the case 132 and thus maintains the maximum protruding state from the case 132. Accordingly, some of the other damper legs 133 are elastically inserted into the insertion groove 132a, and in particular, the opposite damper leg 132 is inserted the most, so that the pillar portion 112 is tilted in that direction. You can.

Referring to Figure 9, a partial cross-sectional view of portion A shown in Figure 8 is shown. It shows one of the stoppers (135) inserted into the corresponding damper leg (133). The damper leg 133 is installed in the insertion groove 132a so that it can be elastically supported by the spring 136, and the stopper 135 is inserted into the stop hole 133a. Therefore, the damper leg 133 can no longer be inserted into the insertion groove 136. The remaining damper leg 133 can be elastically inserted into the insertion groove 132a because the stopper 135 is not inserted. Accordingly, the pillar portion 112 along with the handle portion 111 may be inclined in the opposite direction to the damper leg 133 into which the stopper 135 is inserted.

At this time, the forward and backward motion of the stopper 135 may use a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or a step motor as the driving source 134.

Of course, the operation control of the stopper 135 is performed by the control unit 50, and the direction in which the cane 110 is tilted may be the direction in which the object that exceeds the limit approaches.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented in this specification, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention can add or change components within the scope of the same spirit. , deletion, addition, etc., other embodiments can be easily proposed, but this will also be said to fall within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be applied as a medical cane.

Claims (10)

1. A handle that is shaped so that a visually impaired person can hold it with their hands;

   a pillar portion extending downward from the handle portion and having a lower end in contact with the ground to support a load transmitted from the handle portion;

   A proximity sensor provided in the handle or pillar to detect the position and distance of surrounding objects;

   A speaker that transmits information about the location and distance of surrounding objects through voice or an alarm sound according to what is detected by the proximity sensor; and

   A control unit that receives information detected from the proximity sensor, organizes location or movement information about surrounding objects based on this, and controls sound including a voice or alarm sound corresponding to the received information to be output to the speaker. Smart cane for people with disabilities.
2. According to claim 1,

   A smart cane for the visually impaired, wherein a plurality of proximity sensors are installed to detect the distance to each object in front, left, and right of the cane, and a plurality of proximity sensors are installed according to the height to detect the distance depending on the height of the cane.
3. According to clause 2,

   The control unit distinguishes between moving and stationary objects according to distance information detected from a plurality of proximity sensors, and determines the direction and height of the object detected by the plurality of proximity sensors, and the number of combination cases according to movement. A smart cane for the visually impaired that can be controlled to output different sounds.
4. According to claim 1,

   A smart cane for the visually impaired, the handle or pillar having an on-off switch.
5. According to claim 1,

   A smart cane for the visually impaired, wherein a plug is assembled at the lower end of the pillar, and a pressure sensor is provided at the lower end of the plug so that the visually impaired can determine the state in which the visually impaired person presses the ground.
6. According to clause 5,

   A smart wand for the visually impaired, wherein the control unit reads information from the proximity sensor only when a signal is input to the pressure sensor.
7. According to claim 1,

   The proximity sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, or a LiDAR sensor. A smart wand for the visually impaired.
8. According to claim 1,

   The control unit is a smart wand for the visually impaired that controls the warning sound to be output by changing the interval depending on the perspective of the detected nearby object.
9. According to claim 1,

   A smart cane for the visually impaired, which is installed on the handle and further includes a vibrator that shares the output information transmitted from the control unit to the speaker and outputs it as vibration.
10. According to claim 1,

    When the handle is held and pressed, it further includes a direction indicator that guides and warns the cane to tilt in one direction as a whole,

    The direction indicator,

    A case having a flat surface with a cross section larger than that of the pillar at the lower end of the pillar to stably support the pillar;

    A plurality of damper legs are disposed radially around a central axis inside the case and each has a lower end supported by the elastic force of a spring installed inside the case so as to elastically support the ground;

    A smart cane for the visually impaired, including a plurality of stoppers installed at the center of the central axis and capable of moving forward and backward so as to enter and exit the stop holes formed in each of the plurality of damper legs to prevent the lifting and lowering of the damper legs.

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