“MyEyes”- Smart Assistant Tool for Visually Impaired People

Abstract

This research paper introduces "MyEyes", an innovative Smart Assistant Glass designed to enhance the shopping experience for blind and visually impaired individuals in supermarkets. Visual impairment can pose significant challenges when it comes to everyday activities such as shopping. The difficulty in navigating through aisles and identifying specific products on shelves often makes the process tedious and dependent on assistance from others. MyEyes aims to empower visually impaired individuals by providing them with a technologically adept means of navigating supermarkets with ease and independence. The device is equipped with cameras, sensors, and an item detection system that work cohesively to identify and locate products on shelves. Through the utilization of image recognition, spatial awareness algorithms, and audio feedback, users are guided through the supermarket and informed about the items they are searching for or encountering. The device also includes a customizable interface that allows users to pre-set shopping lists and preferences. The integration of these features aims to offer a seamless and efficient shopping experience. MyEyes represents a step forward in assistive technology, potentially transforming the lives of visually impaired individuals by fostering independence and inclusion in everyday activities. Through user testing and feedback, the efficacy, and areas for improvement of the MyEyes system are explored, laying the groundwork for future developments in assistive technologies for the visually impaired.

Country : Sri Lanka

1 W.R.A Kaushalya2 S.P.E Sanjaya3 K.D.K.B.U Perera4 Suriya Kumari5 Uthpala Samarakoon

  1. Faculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
  2. Faculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
  3. Faculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
  4. Faculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka
  5. Faculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, Malabe, Sri Lanka

IRJIET, Volume 7, Issue 10, October 2023 pp. 25-32

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2023.710004

References

  1. W. H. Organization, "World Health Organization Health Topics," [Online]. Available:https://www.who.int/health-topics/blindness-and-vision-loss#tab=tab_2. [Accessed 17122022].
  2. M. Al-Zuhair, A. B. Najjar, and E. Kanjo, NFC based applications for visually impaired people - A review. 2014. doi: 10.1109/icmew.2014.6890657.
  3. Nothhaft, T., Huf, S., & Weisbecker, A. (2004). ShopMobile: A mobile product recognition and price comparison system. In Mobile and Ubiquitous Systems: Networking andServices,2004. MOBIQUITOUS 2004. The First Annual International Conference on (pp. 357-358). IEEE.
  4. World Health Organization: WHO, “Blindness and vision impairment,” www.who.int, Oct. 2022, [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment
  5. J. L. D. O. H. B. L Hakobyan, "Mobile assistive technologies for the visually impaired." Birmingham, UK, 2013 November.
  6. D. Khattab, J. Buelow, and D. M. Saccuteli, “Understanding the barriers: grocery stores and visually impaired shoppers,” Journal of Accessibility and Design for All, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 157–173, Nov. 2015, doi: 10.17411/jacces.v5i2.105.
  7. S. Szpiro, Y. Zhao, and S. Azenkot, Finding a store, searching for a product. 2016. doi: 10.1145/2971648.2971723.
  8. M. Mashiata et al., “Towards assisting visually impaired individuals: A review on current status and future prospects,” Biosensors and Bioelectronics: X, vol. 12, p. 100265, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.biosx.2022.100265.
  9. A.Y. Dak, S. Yahya, and N. N. N. A. Malik, “Grocery shopping assistant for visually impaired,” Social and Management Research Journal, vol. 5, no. 1, p. 49, Jun. 2008, doi: 10.24191/smrj.v5i1.5145.
  10. D. López-De-Ipiña, T. Lorido, and U. I. López, “BlindShopping: Enabling Accessible Shopping for Visually Impaired People through Mobile Technologies,” in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2011, pp. 266–270. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-21535-3_39.
  11. M. D. Messaoudi, B.-A. J. Ménélas, and H. Mcheick, “Review of navigation Assistive Tools and Technologies for the Visually Impaired,” Sensors, vol. 22, no. 20, p. 7888, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.3390/s22207888.
  12. V. Isazade, “Advancement in navigation technologies and their potential for the visually impaired: a comprehensive review,” Spatial Information Research, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.1007/s41324-023-00522-4.
  13. D. M. Brouwer, G. Sadlo, K. Winding, and M. I. G. Hanneman, “Limitations in mobility: experiences of visually impaired older people,” British Journal of Occupational Therapy, vol. 71, no. 10, pp. 414–421, Oct. 2008, doi: 10.1177/030802260807101003.
  14. “Challenges blind people face when living life.” https://www.letsenvision.com/blog/challenges-blind-people-face-when-living-life
  15. M. D. Messaoudi, B.-A. J. Menelas, and H. Mcheick, “Review of navigation Assistive Tools and Technologies for the Visually Impaired,” Sensors, vol. 22, no. 20, p. 7888, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.3390/s22207888.
  16. E. Hoskin, M. K. Coyne, M. White, S. C. D. Dobri, T. C. Davies, and S. D. Pinder, “Effectiveness of technology for braille literacy education for children: a systematic review,” Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, pp. 1–11, May 2022, doi: 10.1080/17483107.2022.2070676.
  17. N. R. Council, D. of B. and S. S. A. Education, B. on B. C. Sciences and Sensory, and C. on D. D. for I. W. V. Impairments, Visual impairments: Determining Eligibility for Social Security Benefits. National Academies Press, 2002.
  18. N. Singh, “Psychological impact of visual impairment and the miracle of the bionic eye,” MOJ Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, vol. 3, no. 4, Jan. 2019, doi: 10.15406/mojabb.2019.03.00111.
  19. H. Boagey, J. K. Jolly, and A. Ferrey, “Psychological impact of vision loss,” Journal of Mental Health and Clinical Psychology, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 25–31, Aug. 2022, doi: 10.29245/2578-2959/2021/3.1256.
  20. A.H. Neufeldt and A. L. Albright, Disability and self-directed employment: Business Development Models. International Development Research Centre Books, 1998.