Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals

Visually impaired individuals face challenges in mobility, object recognition, and text reading. Existing assistive tools provide partial solutions but lack full integration. This paper presents a low-cost, multifunctional assistive device in the form of wearable glasses, integrating real-time text...

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Main Authors: Richard Kral, Patrik Jacko, Tibor Vince
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10938157/
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author Richard Kral
Patrik Jacko
Tibor Vince
author_facet Richard Kral
Patrik Jacko
Tibor Vince
author_sort Richard Kral
collection DOAJ
description Visually impaired individuals face challenges in mobility, object recognition, and text reading. Existing assistive tools provide partial solutions but lack full integration. This paper presents a low-cost, multifunctional assistive device in the form of wearable glasses, integrating real-time text recognition, obstacle detection, and remote assistance. Built around a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, the system features an Arducam IMX519 autofocus camera and a tactile button interface for user-friendly control. Real-time audio feedback enhances situational awareness, promoting greater independence. The device was tested at the Rehabilitation Center for the Visually Impaired in Levoča. Performance evaluations confirm high text recognition accuracy and improved navigation support. A comparative analysis highlights its affordability and functionality over commercial alternatives. While effective, the device requires processing speed optimization and hardware miniaturization. Future improvements will explore haptic feedback and AI-driven scene analysis to enhance usability. This research contributes to affordable and inclusive assistive technology, improving accessibility for visually impaired individuals.
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spelling doaj-art-71497aef8955415084800f6d093ebdb52025-08-20T03:07:06ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-0113563265633710.1109/ACCESS.2025.355436610938157Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired IndividualsRichard Kral0Patrik Jacko1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3624-4256Tibor Vince2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7288-9935Department of Theoretical and Industrial Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Košice, SlovakiaDepartment of Theoretical and Industrial Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Košice, SlovakiaDepartment of Theoretical and Industrial Electrical Engineering, Technical University of Košice, Košice, SlovakiaVisually impaired individuals face challenges in mobility, object recognition, and text reading. Existing assistive tools provide partial solutions but lack full integration. This paper presents a low-cost, multifunctional assistive device in the form of wearable glasses, integrating real-time text recognition, obstacle detection, and remote assistance. Built around a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, the system features an Arducam IMX519 autofocus camera and a tactile button interface for user-friendly control. Real-time audio feedback enhances situational awareness, promoting greater independence. The device was tested at the Rehabilitation Center for the Visually Impaired in Levoča. Performance evaluations confirm high text recognition accuracy and improved navigation support. A comparative analysis highlights its affordability and functionality over commercial alternatives. While effective, the device requires processing speed optimization and hardware miniaturization. Future improvements will explore haptic feedback and AI-driven scene analysis to enhance usability. This research contributes to affordable and inclusive assistive technology, improving accessibility for visually impaired individuals.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10938157/Assistive technologywearable computersvisually impairedartificial intelligencetext recognition
spellingShingle Richard Kral
Patrik Jacko
Tibor Vince
Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals
IEEE Access
Assistive technology
wearable computers
visually impaired
artificial intelligence
text recognition
title Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals
title_full Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals
title_fullStr Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals
title_full_unstemmed Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals
title_short Low-Cost Multifunctional Assistive Device for Visually Impaired Individuals
title_sort low cost multifunctional assistive device for visually impaired individuals
topic Assistive technology
wearable computers
visually impaired
artificial intelligence
text recognition
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10938157/
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AT tiborvince lowcostmultifunctionalassistivedeviceforvisuallyimpairedindividuals