SBIR Phase II: Electronic Orientation and Navigation System for People with Visual Impairments

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段的研究项目将设计、建造和测试一种新型的定位和导航系统，用于视觉障碍人士。虽然基于gps的解决方案在室外环境中显示出前景，但目前还没有广泛设计用于室内环境的O&amp；N设备。这使得有视觉障碍的人很难在室内公共空间中导航。这项研究的目的是完成一种新型射频识别（RFID）系统的开发，在这种系统中，智能的、可变范围的有源RFID信标被编程，其中包含有关其位置的信息，并放置在诸如学校、购物中心和博物馆等室内环境中。视障人士可以通过佩戴在使用者身上的小型RFID接收器获取这些信息。年代带。信息将通过文本-语音界面传递给用户。现场测试的结果表明，该设备可以帮助视力受损的人在不熟悉的环境中导航。第二阶段的研究将完成通信协议和接口技术的开发，使该系统具有独特的能力，可以向视力受损的人提供基于语音的信息。在美国有1040万视力受损的人，这项研究将导致一种廉价的商业产品，将大大提高他们在陌生环境中导航的能力。该技术的市场包括那些将购买RFID接收器和RFID信标的人。这包括视力障碍者，以及办公楼、学校、商场、博物馆和政府设施等公共空间的所有者和租户。此外，由于界面的简单性，该系统将有助于定向和移动教育工作者与幼儿一起发展空间概念。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II research project will design, build and test a new type of orientation and navigation (O&N) system for people with visual impairments. While GPS-based solutions show promise in outdoor environments, there are currently no widespread O&N devices that are designed for use in indoor environments. This makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to navigate through indoor public spaces. The purpose of this research will be to complete development of a new type of radio frequency identification (RFID) system, in which intelligent, variable-range active RFID beacons are programmed with information about their locations and placed through indoor environments like schools, shopping malls and museums. This information will be accessible to people with visual impairments via a small RFID receiver worn on the user?s belt. Information will be conveyed to the user via a text-to-speech interface. Results from field testing have demonstrated that the device helps people with visual impairments to navigate through an unfamiliar environment. Phase II research will complete development of the communications protocols and interface techniques that give the system its unique capabilities for delivering speech-based information to people with visual impairments.There are 10.4 million people with visual impairments in the U.S., and this research will lead to an inexpensive commercial product that will greatly enhance their ability to navigate in unfamiliar surroundings. The market for this technology includes those who will purchase the RFID receivers and the RFID beacons. This includes people with visual impairments, as well as the owners and tenants of public spaces, such as office buildings, schools, malls, museums and government facilities. Also, because of the simplicity of the interface, the system will be useful to Orientation and Mobility educators working with young children to develop spatial concepts.