• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.9-15
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• 2021

It is a challenge for visually impaired people to access unfamiliar environments independently, hence the quality of life is reduced, and safety of life is compromised. An accurate and reliable door detection system comprising of way finding and indoor navigation can be beneficial for a large number of autonomous and mobile applications for visually impaired people. This paper illustrates an image-based door detection scheme for visually impaired people using stable features (edges and corners) including color averaging and image resizing. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme shows a significant improvement when compared with existing scheme.

• IEMEK Journal of Embedded Systems and Applications
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2017

We propose a face recognition and notification system that can transform visual face information into tactile signals in order to help visually impaired people. The proposed system consists of a glasses type camera, a mobile computer and an electronic cane. The glasses type camera captures the frontal view of the user, and sends this image to mobile computer. The mobile computer starts to search for human's face in the image when obstacles are detected by ultrasonic sensors. In a case that human's face is detected, the mobile computer identifies detected face. At this time, Adaboost and compressive sensing are used as a detector and a classifier, respectively. After the identification procedures of the detected face, the identified face information is sent to controller attached to a cane using a Bluetooth communication. The controller generates motor control signals using Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) according to the recognized face labels. The vibration motor generates vibration patterns to inform the visually impaired person of the face recognition result. The experimental results of face recognition and notification system show that proposed system is helpful for visually impaired people by providing person identification results in front of him/her.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.13-20
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• 2016

It is possible to implement an optical character recognition system using a high-resolution camera mounted on smart phones in the modern society. Further, characters extracted from the implemented application is possible to provide the voice service for the visually impaired person by using TTS. But, it is difficult for the visually impaired person to properly shoot the objects that character information are included, because it is very hard to accurately understand the current state of the object. In this paper, we propose a method of inducing an appropriate shooting for the visually impaired persons by using a smartphone gyro sensor. As a result of simulation using the implemented program, we were able to see that it is possible to recognize the more character from the same object using the proposed method.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.3064-3082
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• 2023

During the last decade, several Electronic Orientation Aids devices have been proposed to solve the autonomy problems of visually impaired people. When hearing is considered the primary sense for Visually Impaired people (VI) and it is generally loaded with the environment, the use of tactile sense can be considered a solution to transmit directional information. This paper presents a new wearable haptic system based on four motors implemented in shoes, while six directions can be played. This study aims to introduce an interface design and investigate an appropriate means of spatial information delivery through haptic sense. The first experiment of the proposed system was performed with 15 users in an indoor environment. The results showed that the users were able to recognize, with high accuracy, the directions displayed on their feet. The second experiment was conducted in an outdoor environment with five blindfolded users who were guided along 120 meters. The users, guided only by the haptic system, successfully reached their destinations. The potential of tactile-foot stimulation to help VI understand Electronic Orientation Aids (EOA) instructions was discussed, and future challenges were defined.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.131-135
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• 2017

We developed a portable card reader for the visually impaired. In South Korea, there is insufficient development of lifestyle aids for people with disabilities. Living aids for people with disabilities are being developed using information technology, smart phones, Internet of Things(IoT) devices, 3D printers, and so on. Blind people were interviewed, which showed that the card recognition function using a currently developed smart phone app was not able to recognize the screen of the smart phone by the hand of the visually impaired, and it was inconvenient to operate. In recent years, devices that enable the visually impaired to recognize cards have been studied in foreign countries and are emerging prototypes. But what is currently available is expensive and inconvenient. In addition, visually impaired people are most vulnerable to low-income families, which makes it difficult to purchase and use expensive devices. In this study, we developed a card reader that recognizes a card using a Raspberry Pi, which is an open-source hardware that can be applied to IoT. The card reader plays it by voice and vibration, and the visually impaired can use it at a low price.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2012

In order to extend the activity range of visually impaired persons, we design and implement a navigation system that supports road information services and points of interest. The proposed navigation system consists of route creation modules and storage modules for visually impaired persons. In particular, the main interface of the navigation system are implemented using TTS(Text-to-Speech) program for sound and braille module that outputs braille with sense of touch. We also use google map APIs that can provide latest map information for the navigation system.

• Journal of KIISE:Software and Applications
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.462-470
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• 2009

We propose a wearable system to help the visually impaired persons for walking safely to destination. If a user selects a destination, the system guides the user to destination with position data from GPS receiver and shortest path algorithm. At the same time, after acquiring complex spatial structures in front of the user with ultrasonic sensors, we categorize them into several predefined patterns, and determine an avoidance direction by estimating the patterns. As a result, visually impaired persons can arrive at destination safely and correctly without others help.

• 한국HCI학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.02a
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• pp.251-255
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• 2008

We have developed an electronic aids, called SmartWand, which can help visually impaired people walk safely and tell them an object's color and environmental brightness SmartWand can inform visually impaired people of the dangerous obstacles around which they can't notice by the white cane such as a large panel with supporting poles on the street. Especially we have lmproved the previous version of SmartWand by reflecting the result of user study.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.515-530
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• 2016

Recently an extensive study of the mathematicians who have overcome the visually impaired and contribute to the academic in math was published. In the case of Korea, we can find there are mathematicians who have overcome physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy and polio. However there is no example of blind person who majored mathematics to become a mathematic's teacher or professor and have entered any mathematics related professions. This let us to study the reasons that caused difficulties to visually impaired students majoring in mathematics. We also suggest ways that may help blind students to have access to mathematics intuitively. In this study, we propose a tactile mathematics textbooks and teaching manuals utilizing 3D printing which the visually impaired students can touch and feel. We can supply such materials to visually impaired youth, special education teachers and parents in Korea. As a result, visually impaired students will be able to access mathematics easily and can build their confidence in mathematics. We hope that some blind students with mathematical talent do not hesitate to major mathematics and choose career in mathematical professions.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

This study was conducted for the purpose of improving the usability of the product through the usability evaluation of the voice tag reader to improve the life convenience of the visually impaired. Perceived usability evaluation was conducted for 19 evaluation items based on the evaluation model considering the usability principle and the characteristics of the visually impaired. A total of 50 participants were included for the analysis. As a result of the perceived usability evaluation of the visually impaired, the safety of the voice tag reader, voice and sound quality, and accuracy of voice information were relatively satisfactory. It was found that the reader received a low evaluation in terms of efficiency in use, including the size and weight of the reader, and the convenience of carrying and storing. For the usability improvement, the procedure for using a product needs to be more simplified, and it would be helpful to input and supply tags for commonly used objects in advance.