Walking guide interface mechanism and navigation system for the visually impaired

We propose a new mechanism, with an intuitive interface, for a walking guidance system for the visually impaired. The user pushes the mechanism using a long handle like walking stick, and the mechanism steers to navigate along a given route using environmental sensors, communicating the steering angle to the user by twisting the handle. Using the interface, users are aware of their direction to go and can walk without hesitation. A navigation method incorporating simple topological map information is proposed for the mechanism, and a prototype system that follows the walls surrounding a route is developed. Experiments illustrate the usability and performance of the proposed interface and system.