3D CMOS sensor based acoustic object detection and navigation system for blind people

The paper presents a new wearable Cognitive Aid System for Blind People (CASBliP). The prototype device was developed as an obstacle detector, orientation and navigation Electronic Travel Aid (ETA) for blind people. The device provides a binaural acoustic image representation. The environmental information acquisition system is based on an array of 1×64 CMOS Time-of-Flight sensors. Through stereoscopic (binaural) acoustic sounds the device relays the surrounding near and far environment. Experimental results demonstrate that blind users are able to detect obstacles and navigate through unknown and known environments safety and confidently. CASBliP works accurately in range of 15m in distance and 64° in azimuth, providing significant advantages in comparison with currently existing ETA systems.