Design of an auditory guidance system for the blind with signal transformation from stereo ultrasonic to binaural audio

We have designed an auditory guidance system for the blind using ultrasonic-to-audio signal transformation. We first investigated the system requirements, and designed a simple but useful portable guidance system for the blind. The system derives visual information using multiple ultrasonic sensors, and transforms it to binaural auditory information using a suitable technique. The user can recognize the position of obstacles and the surrounding environment. The system is composed of two parts. One is a glasses-type system, and the other is a cane-type system with guide wheels. The former functions as an environment sensor, and the latter functions as a clear-path indicator. Wide-beam-angle ultrasonic sensors are used to detect bojects over a broader range. The system is designed as a battery-supplied portable model. Our design is focused on low power consumption, small size, light weight, and easy manipulation.