White cane with integrated electronic travel aid using 3D TOF sensor

摘要

The invention describes an electronic travel aid (ETA) for blind and visually impaired persons implemented in a detachable handle of a white cane. The device enhances the functionality of the white cane giving the user more detailed information about the environment within a defined corridor of interest in front of the user with an extended range of a few meters up to 10 m. It provides a reliable warning if there is a risk of collision with obstacles including those at trunk or head height, which are not recognized by a conventional white cane. Additional sensors are integrated to delimit the defined corridor during the cane sweeping thereby reducing the amount of information that is transmitted to the user via the tactile interface. Alternatively, the device can be used independently from the cane as an object recognition and orientation aid.

主权项

1. A cane system, comprising:
a TOF sensor generating object distance and range information, a portion of a field of view of the TOF sensor including at least a portion of a cane of the cane system; an auxiliary sensor system that generates sensor data; a haptic interface to a user; and an evaluation unit that receives the distance and range information and the sensor data and generates tactile feedback to the user via the haptic interface, wherein the portion of the cane in the field of view of the TOF sensor is used for calibration.