Development of

Smart Cane

Submitted by :-PRADEEP THAKUR152214

Table of content

2

Commercially Available ETAs

smart cane Device Evolution and Next Steps Project Initiation & Specification

R & D and Development of Field Deployable Product

Product Testing & Field Trials

Restricted range and inability to detect knee-above obstacles

Limitations of the White Cane

causes unexpected collisions and upper-body injuries.

Study of Commercially Available ETAs

• Procurement and study of commercially available ETAs.

• User testing with 5 users each, one week usage.

• Evaluation of key technical parameters.

Teletect The Mini guide mobility aid

Lessons Learnt from Study of ETAs

• User prefer ETAs where only one hand is used. • ETAs were not flexible in gripping styles or force

users to adopt to new gripping styles may not work.• ETAs which provide feedback as auditory output via

earphone conceal some valuable auditory clues from the environment which is necessary and important for mobility, path planning and safety.

• User prefer devices which are small in size and weight but do not prefer rigorous scanning to detect obstacles.

5

Smart Cane

Smart Cane is an obstacledetection and warning system

Can be easily mounted anddetached from white cane.

Detects obstacles with the use of ultrasonic waves.

Presence of obstacles is conveyed by easily perceptible and intuitive vibratory patterns. 6

Various Navigation Scenarios

Path Finding Gate Detection

Indoor Navigation Raised obstacle detected 3m away

Smart Cane Characteristics

Rechargeable Li –ion battery.

Indoor and outdoor modes of navigation.

User adjustable sensor angle

Accommodating wide varying grips

Affordable

8

Device usage with widely varying grips.

Flexibility

Cane-mountable through anattachment mechanism.

Affordability

Source: http://smartcane.saksham.org

Device Evolution and Next Steps

11

Three Milestones

1. Project Initiation & Specification

2. R & D and Development of Field Deployable Product

3. Product Testing & Field Trials

Milestone 1: Key Activities

Team Formation & Logistics Setup

Product Specifications

Requirements ManufacturabilityUser Workshop for Validation

Study of Other ETAs User Feedback Preliminary R & D

Milestone 1: Key Activities

Team Formation & Logistics Setup

Study of Other ETAs User Feedback Preliminary R & D

Procurement of Commercially Available

ETAs in market

Review of Published Studies on ETAs & Mobility

Study of Commercially Available White Canes

13

Milestone 1: Key Activities

Team Formation & Logistics Setup

Study of Other ETAs

User Feedback Preliminary R & D

Review of Disability, Mobility and Human Factors Literature

Questionnaire & Obstacle Course Design

14

Milestone 1: Key Activities

Team Formation & Logistics Setup

Study of Other ETAs User Feedback Preliminary R&D

Electronics Design

Mechanical Design

Prototyping

Self Learning & Training Manuals

15

2.Product R&D (Electronics)

• Sourcing & testing smaller and water proof ultrasonic sensors.

• Exploring trans-receiver based sensors.• Miniaturized combined electronics circuit.• Multilayer PCB design

16

Electronics Final version

Product R&D (Mechanical Design)

Version 0.4

18

Version 0.5

Version 0.6 Version 0.7

Product R&D (Mechanical Design)

Version 0.8 used for user trials

19

Product R&D (Mechanical Design)

Design Version 0.9

• Non protruding angle adjustment mechanism• Reduced size, thinner grip & better weight balancing• Braille markings according to standards• Single combined ultrasonic and control circuit

20

Version 1.0Field trial prototype

Version 1.1 Elongated prototype

Version 1.2Combined circuit prototype

Version 1.3

Version 2.0 Final design

Sleek design 31

Design Approach to Grip Design

33

Identify pain areas in all types of grips

Identify common pain areas in all grips

Explore other palmareas to reduce stress

Design Approach to Grip Design

Trials with Clay Models

Design Approach to Grip Design

3D Digitizing Clay Models to build CAD models

New Design of Smart Cane

Old and New Design

Cane attachment and Detachment Mechanism

New Design of Smart Cane

New Design of Smart Cane

Angle Adjustment Mechanism

Manufacturing process

10

3.Testing setup

Testing Area for Sensor Field of View

User Study Sites

Chennai

Ahmedabad

Shimla

Dehradun

Delhi

Study Completed

84

feedback trials of Smart Cane

Gender distribution of user group per site

31

Age distribution of user group per site

Source:- http://assistech.iitd.ernet.in/smartcane.php

Key Findings from Feedback Trials

There is an acceptance for overall concept of the device.Some features such as intuitive tactile patterns for distance of obstacles and battery level indicators were appreciated by all.During the study, users suggested various modifications such as reduced weight, reduced size of the device.

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Vibratory Tests

Smart cane 1.145 m/s2

Mini guide 4.27 m/s2

Samsung Cell Phone 2.78 m/s2

Nokia Cell Phone 0.8454 m/s2

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Vibratory pattern analysis

Salient Features of Current Version• Reduced size

• Reduced weight

• Improved weight balancing

• Ergonomic grip

• Braille markings according to standards

• Easily accessible controls• combined ultrasonic and control circuit with

reduced size

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Packaging & Training Manuals

35

Obstacle arena

Colli

sion

rate

U1 U2

U3 U4 U5

U6

U7

U8

U9

U10

U

11

U12

U

13

U14

U

15

U16

U

17

U18

U

19

U20

U

21

U22

U

23

U24

U

25

U26

U

27

U28

U

29

U30

Collision rate with chest above obstacles using white cane and Smartcane

100.0

80.0

60.0

collision rate with chest aboveobstacles using white cane

40.0

20.0

0.0

Users

Collision Study using Obstacle Course

collision rate with chest above obstacles using smartcane

Source: http://assistech.iitd.ernet.in/smartcane.php

Colli

sion

rate

Overall Collison rate with obstacles using white cane and Smartcane

100.0

Overall collision rate with obstacles using white cane

Overall collision rate with obstacles using smartcane

80.0

60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0U1 U2 U3 U4 U5 U6 U7 U8 U9 U10 U11 U12 U13 U14 U15 U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 U21 U22 U23 U24 U25 U26 U27 U28 U29 U30

Users

Collision Study using Obstacle Course

Source: http://assistech.iitd.ernet.in/smartcane.php

References

1. http://smartcane.saksham.org/

2. http://www.gdp-research.com.au/minig_1.htm3. http://assistech.iitd.ernet.in/smartcane.php4. https://www.seeingwithsound.com/binocular.htm5. http://www.aph.org/news/june-2008/6. http://www.phoenixmedicalsystems.com/?option=c

om_jumi&fileid=23&Itemid=45

39

Thank You…