Towards a haptic-based virtual cane to assist blind people in obstacle detection

Blind persons rely on the traditional white cane to explore and avoid obstacles while moving independently in indoor and outdoor environments. Although numerous electronic aids have been proposed in the literature and on the market, orienting and moving are still a challenge for people who cannot see. Usually, electronic support devices are used in combination with the stick as blind people consider it a fundamental tool for exploring and getting information about the surrounding. In this paper, a virtual version of the traditional white cane based on the use of a laser sensor, actuators and haptic feedback for obstacle detection is proposed to move towards a single aid for mobility tasks. Although the proposed electronic aid is the first prototype tested in an indoor environment, it is a first step towards a discreet and lightweight virtual cane.