[An Intelligent Walking Stick As A Walking Aid For Blind People]

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

Recently, there are a number of researchers interested in conducting and developing an electronic white stick, which is the electronic version of the normal white stick for blind people. Concept of inventing this electronic stick is developed from studying mechanism to determine close range or distance between the stick and the obstacles - by means of some electronic sensing devices. Parameters that rate this sticks could be its size, and weight, i.e., its size and weight should be as same as that of the normal white sticks. However, its battery (utilization) time is also important. The battery of the stick should not be last before twelve hours when using it continuously. This paper studies techniques to reduce power consumption in electronic white stick. In addition, several batteries with different discharged rate were employed for determining utilization time. The results show that the proposed module of electronic stick consumed lower energy than the previous work and a NiMHC-size of 2,200 mAh battery is adequate for operating the stick more than twelve hour at any modes of alarming.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION6

Background of the Study6

Innovative features of the project:8

CHAPTER 2: LITEARTURE REVIEW9

Walking Stick/Cane9

Basic Concepts13

Previous Studies13

Range Finding Determination15

Utilization Time Estimation16

Application of Technology16

ZigBee18

RFID19

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY20

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS22

Types of interventions26

Types of outcome measures27

Discussion28

Factors influencing the energy cost and muscle efficiency in flat and bouncy walking29

Significance to the evolution of human locomotion33

Future perspectives and other applications35

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION40

REFERENCES41

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Number of blind people has been substantially increasing every year. Recently in Thailand, there are 679 thousand blind people registered to Thailand Association of the Blind, which has been increasing from year 1991 where only 123 thousand people are blind . These blind people face difficulty in going on foot, though they use a special tool called "white sticks" for directing the way they walk.

Though using a white stick is helpful for them, but it does not really make them confidentially walking without taking care of clashing obstacles, especially when walking in an unknown place or pathway. In fact, normal white sticks cannot give a high guarantee that they will protect blind people from all level of obstacles. Usually, blind people use the white stick for detecting obstacles below their waist, i.e., from waist to feet, but not the obstacles that are on high level, i.e., from body to head. In fact, blind people do not use the white stick to detect obstacles in higher than 30 centimeters from ground. Raising the white stick up over ...