Fujitsu & NICT Develop Indoor Guidance System For Blind; Reach Where GPS Can't!

Technology for the blind is fast taking pace. We already have GPS systems that provide audio instructions to a blind person for getting to a destination. But, GPS works only outdoors. So, Fujitsu and NICT have developed an indoor support system for the blind that uses ultra wide band (UWB) technology and a smartphone. This system can provide the real-time positioning data of an indoor place. The following image talks in itself to explain the working.

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The team from Fujitsu and NICT have harnessed the potential of the impulse radio UWB (IR-UWB) technology for measuring distances. All that we need are base stations positioned across an indoor area, mobile stations - one for user and a Control PC. The working is tad simple, really. The base stations measure distance between all mobile stations whereas the control PC calculates and gives the positioning data in real time. This data is then sent to the user's mobile via Bluetooth. Then the user receives audio instructions for directions to the destination. Thats it. The whole system will be a boon to the blind. We hope to see the infrastructure for this installed in museums, libraries and shopping malls very soon.

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