Development of an orientation aid for blind individuals

Establishing and maintaining orientation while traveling in very complex or unfamiliar environments can pose significant problems for pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired. This proposal describes a prototype of a device to solve these orientation problems by integrating existing technology in global satellite positioning and computerized mapping. Global positioning systems currently available can determine the location of a traveler outdoors within 10-20 meters anywhere on earth. Computerized maps are now available for most major metropolitan areas in the US. The prototype device determines the location of the traveler using global positioning and relates the obtained location to geographic information stored in the device´s map database. This device provides a relatively inexpensive and portable means to inform blind travelers of their location and desired destination