Project 16.... Artificial Vision Systems for the Blind Using Ultra Sonic Wave Transmission Reception Techniques:
The field of science has reached such a level of unbelievable achievements that it has become extremely
hard to keep track with it. What seemed like a dream to people decades ago has been successfully
accomplished thanks to the hard work and efforts put forward by scientists and researchers and other
professionals. The world has reached a point where there are perhaps only a few technical problems to
which solutions haven’t been proposed or few medical diseases for which cures are currently unavailable.
The world is a place where there are no limitation boundaries for funding organizations, sponsors,
researchers, scientists, technologists, doctors, engineers et cetera to accomplish such wonderful feats.
According to recent surveys, it has been estimated that about 180 million people in the world are currently
victims of visual impairment with forty to fifty million going permanently blind. Majority of these cases are
commonly found in developing countries where proper care isn’t provided to the patients. Blindness is
perhaps one of the top most illnesses that are widely feared by the public which is why technology has
found multiple solutions to rid people of this ailment. Once a part of science fiction, artificial visionary
systems have been developed for people suffering from blindness. What seems like a pair of glasses is
actually a modernized piece of technology that consists of a mini-computer, a digital video computer, a
transmitter and other associated electronics that work in togetherness to activate the visual cortex of the
brain. Their advent allows visually impaired victims to independently navigate their way around with leaning
towards sticks or dogs, develop spatial interactions, distinguish low quality images from high ones and
perform activities such as reading or writing et cetera.
Engineering students have also started to focus more on this particular predicament and introduced new
developments in said field. Final year projects have become common that include different kinds of
techniques to be incorporated in artificial vision systems in order to add more comfort for such types of
patients. Quite recently, engineering students have designed an ingenious technology that uses an
ultra-sonic wave transmission reception technique for developing artificial vision systems. Ultra-sonic
waves allow a safe on-foot journey for blind people wherever they are by helping them to sense obstacles
that come along their way. The ultra-sonic waves are continuously being transmitted into free space.
When a hindrance of any kind comes in the way of these waves, they get reflected upon contact. A
receiver is always active to receive the waves that get reflected back. The system’s design also includes a
demodulator that processes the incoming signals and directs them to the awaiting microcontroller. The
microcontroller, which is considered as the heart of the circuit, drives a relay interconnected with a voice
processor module then. The voice processer integrated in the circuit performs the duty of informing the
blind person about any obstacles along the path. Last but not least, a rechargeable battery is
incorporated in the system. Also, one good thing about the circuit is that the microcontroller comes with a
reset logic signal that forces the system to restart when an error is encountered.
This technology has become a rising star in embedded systems final year projects category because of
its uniqueness and efficiency. It allows a visually impaired patient to move about freely without stumbling
and depending on a second person. Artificial vision systems allow visually challenged patients to roam
freely in both familiar as well as unfamiliar surroundings. However, ultra-sonic waves do offer a problem as
they come with a delay of about 0.2 seconds when detecting hindrances. This problem can be solved if
light waves were to be used in place of ultra-sonic waves.