The NavBelt - A Computerized Multi-Sensor Travel Aid for Active Guidance of the Blind

A new and sophisticated computerized Electronic Travel Aid (ETA) for blind and visually impaired individuals is under development at the University of Michigan. This device, called NavBelt, enables a blind user to quickly and safely walk through obstacle cluttered and unknown environments. The foremost innovation of this device is its ability to actively guide the user around obstacles in pursuit of a given target direction. Using a binaural feedback signal to indicate the suggested direction of travel, only a minimum of conscious effort is required from the user to follow the directional signal. A special contour following feature lets the system automatically determine the direction of travel when traveling alongside walls, sidewalks, etc. Alternatively, the user may choose image mode. In this mode, the system presents the user with an acoustic image (120 panorama) of the environment. Advanced statistical signal processing algorithms compensate for sensor inaccuracies and provide the user with a more accurate and intuitive image than existing ETAs do.