PERCEPT-II: smartphone based indoor navigation system for the blind

Area of Science:

• Assistive Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Robotics

Background:

• Visually impaired individuals face significant challenges with indoor navigation.
• Existing navigation systems can be costly or lack user-friendliness.
• The need for accessible and low-cost navigation solutions is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce PERCEPT-II, a novel indoor navigation system.
• To provide blind and visually impaired users with an intuitive navigation tool.
• To evaluate the system's feasibility in a real-world environment.

Main Methods:

• Development of the PERCEPT-II application for Android smartphones.
• Integration of Near Field Communication (NFC) tags for landmark identification.
• User testing within a large university building to assess navigation accuracy and usability.

Main Results:

• PERCEPT-II demonstrated a user-friendly interface for navigation.
• The system successfully provided audible navigation instructions based on NFC tag proximity.
• Initial deployment indicated the system's potential for enhancing independent indoor travel.

Conclusions:

• PERCEPT-II offers a low-cost, accessible solution for indoor navigation for the visually impaired.
• The system leverages ubiquitous smartphone technology and NFC for intuitive wayfinding.
• Further development and testing can expand the applicability of PERCEPT-II in diverse indoor settings.