Currently, several outdoor navigation and orientation electronic traveling aid (ETA) solutions for visually impaired (VI) people are commercially available or in active development. This paper’s survey of blind experts has shown that after outdoor navigation, the second most important ETA feature for VI persons is indoor navigation and orientation (in public institutions, supermarkets, office buildings, homes, etc.). VI persons need ETA for orientation and navigation in unfamiliar indoor environments with embedded features for the detection and recognition of obstacles (not only on the ground but also at head level) and desired destinations such as rooms, staircases, and elevators. The development of such indoor navigation systems, which do not have Global Positioning System (GPS) locational references, is challenging and requires an overview and evaluation of existing systems with different navigation technologies. This paper presents an evaluation and comparison of state-of-the-art indoor navigation solutions, and the research implications provide a summary of the critical observations, some insights, and directions for further developments. The paper maps VI needs in relation to research and development (R&D) trends using the evaluation criteria deemed most important by blind experts.
This survey/interview is a part of a research project titled "Complex research of augmented reality for the blind and weak-sighted people" (project No. 01.2.2-LMT-K-718-01-0060) funded by European Regional Development. The overall goal of the project is development of a functional computer vision-based travelling aid for the blind and weak-sighted people. This survey aims to identify and describe requirements and expectations visually impaired users have for such technological solutions. The survey is strictly anonymous. The project team is grateful for your time and effort dedicated for filling in this questionnaire/participating in this interview.
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