Obstacle Detection in Infrared Navigation for Blind People and Mobile Robots.

Area of Science:

• Thermophysics
• Robotics
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Continuation of research on infrared navigation for blind people and mobile robots.
• Focuses on detecting obstacles, specifically corners, within a trajectory.
• Investigates the thermal distribution of internal building walls near corners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an infrared-based system for detecting corners to aid navigation.
• To enhance safety and autonomy for blind individuals and mobile robots by providing corner warnings.
• To contribute to the field of computer vision and sensor technology for navigation.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of heat transfer and temperature distribution near corners.
• Numerical simulations to model thermal behavior.
• Experimental measurements to validate theoretical and numerical findings.

Main Results:

• Confirmed that wall temperature decreases towards a corner due to heat transfer.
• Demonstrated the feasibility of using infrared thermography for corner detection.
• Established a correlation between geometry, heat transfer, and detectable temperature gradients.

Conclusions:

• Infrared thermography is a viable method for detecting corners in indoor environments.
• The developed approach can be integrated into assistive devices for the visually impaired.
• The findings support the application of this technology in autonomous mobile robot navigation systems.