Abstract:
People with poor vision may engage in less physical activity due to their reduced
vision. Frustration caused by their total reliance on a guide's schedule for their
training. Research through various resources validated the issues that the
majority of visually impaired runners experience and how performance is affected
by relying on a guide. There is an urgent need to assist those individuals in
improving their running performance. Existing assistive devices are complex and
inaccessible. The use of complex technology and high prices makes it difficult for
the user to afford an assistive device. Blind Guide is a wearable armband
assisting a blind runner to run independently. The Device on the user's bicep will
detect the barrier at a specific distance from the user and haptic feedback in the
form of vibrations will be used to help the user to stay in the safe zone. The
second device on the user's forearm will be notified about the distance covered in
the forward movement of vibrations. Direct user observation, surveys, interviews,
and experiments are done to search for a solution that will assist the user in
independent running. The prototype was run through a usability test to compare
how well the user performed before and after. The outcomes of the user testing
confirmed the efficacy of the suggested proposal. Further information concerning
user opinions and improvements that we should implement to our prototype was
gathered. They will no longer need a guide because an entirely new aiding device
has been developed, which will improve their performance while simultaneously
lowering their reliance on others. Moreover, it is anticipated that the suggested
solution will make it easier to do additional research on runners who are blind.
