An interactive wireless communication system for visually impaired people using city bus transport

Area of Science:

• Assistive technology
• Human-computer interaction
• Transportation accessibility

Background:

• Visually impaired individuals face significant challenges accessing public transportation information.
• Existing assistive systems for the visually impaired on city buses are often costly and complex, with limited communication capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a low-cost, interactive wireless communication system to aid visually impaired people in using city buses.
• To reduce the difficulties visually impaired individuals encounter when navigating public bus systems.

Main Methods:

• Designed an interactive wireless communication system with a user module and a bus module for direct one-to-one connection.
• Implemented a 4-digit input system on the user module to send boarding requests.
• Utilized buzzing and LED flashing on the bus module to alert drivers of waiting passengers.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 100% success rate in all user tests for interactive wireless communication.
• Demonstrated 100% success in visually impaired users recognizing bus arrivals and boarding the correct bus.
• Validated the system's effectiveness in both simulated and real city bus environments.

Conclusions:

• The interactive wireless communication aid system is a valid and low-cost solution for enhancing city bus accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
• The developed system effectively addresses the limitations of existing one-way communication and high-cost equipment.
• This technology offers a practical and affordable means to improve independent travel for the visually impaired.