Indoor magnetic navigation for the blind

Published: 2012

Author(s):
Riehl, T. H.
Anderson, S. M.
Lichter, P.A.
Giudice, N.A.
Sheikh, S.I.
Knuesel, R.J.
Kollmann, D.T.
Publication Type:

Publication Name: Proceedings of the 34th annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC'12)

Abstract:

Abstract: Indoor navigation technology is needed to support seamless mobility for the visually impaired. This paper describes the construction of and evaluation of a navigation system that infers the users’ location using only magnetic sensing. It is well known that the environments within steel frame structures are subject to significant magnetic distortions. These distortions are persistent and have sufficient strength and spatial characteristics to allow their use as the basis for a location technology. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a prototype magnetic navigation system consisting of a wireless magnetometer placed at the users’ hip streaming magnetic readings to a smartphone running location algorithms. Human trials were conducted to assess the efficacy of the system by studying route-following performance with blind and sighted subjects using the navigation system for realtime guidance.

Citation: Riehl, T. H., Anderson, S. M., Lichter, P. A., Giudice, N. A., Sheikh, S. I., Knuesel, R. J., & Kollmann, D. t. (2012). Indoor magnetic navigation for the blind. Proceedings of the 34th annual IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference (EMBC‘12), (Vol. 2012, , pp. 1972-1975).

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