7-in-7 | Day 2

Prototype 2 is focused towards testing out feedback methods we can use to communicate with visually impaired persons. A few days ago while going back home I noticed something about human behavior, Whenever someone taps on our shoulder we tend to look in the direction of tap.

Concept

Design a tool/device that replicates a tap action on shoulder of the person wearing it. and guide the person to a direction. Whenever the person needs to turn left it replicates a tap on the shoulder and person moves in that direction. Similarly, for right direction, when a person needs to stop both left and right taps are triggered simultaneously indicating stop. If the destination is on the right, a rhythmic right tap is triggered to indicate the destination is on right.

Implementation

I intend to implement this using servo motors, held on inside of a jacket, both left and right shoulders and it’s hand movement creates a sense of being tapped on the shoulder.

Following demo shows how a servo motor can be used to mimic tap.

Following illustration shows the placement of mechanisms on shoulders

The directions will be sent to them by user’s mobile phone. It will be having an audio app, say Siri enabled app, that will take text inputs and process them, sending directional commands in return. The position of the person will be calculated using the onboard sensors such as gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, etc.