• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.249-255
• /
• 2007

Under the situation of a fire, it is difficult for a rescue robot to use sensors such as vision sensor, ultrasonic sensor or laser distance sensor because of diffusion, refraction or block of light and sound by dense smoke. But, braille blocks that are installed for the visaully impaired at public places such as subway stations can be used as a map for autonomous mobile robot's localization and navigation. In this paper, we developed a laser sensor stan device which can detect braille blcoks in spite of dense smoke and integrated the device to the robot developed to carry out rescue mission in various hazardous disaster areas at KIST. We implemented MCL algorithm for robot's attitude estimation according to the scanned data and transformed a braille block map to a topological map and designed a nonlinear path tracking controller for autonomous navigation. From various simulations and experiments, we could verify that the developed laser sensor device and the proposed localization method are effective to autonomous tracking of braille blocks and the autonomous navigation robot system can be used for rescue under fire.

• Journal of IKEEE
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.378-384
• /
• 2020

The location information of the people or mover is essential for supporting various smart mobility services in railway stations which are mostly underground. For this purpose, a smart braille block is proposed to identify the location of the mover of the people. In this paper, the frequency characteristics of each material of the upper and lower parts of the braille block are analyzed to examine the appropriate materials for railway history. In addition, the guidelines for actual manufacturing were derived by analyzing the separation distance between two RF sensors in the smart braille block. As a result of analysis through the characteristic analysis in this paper, after selecting the material suitable for the construction site when the smart braille block is applied, the performance change of the RF system, especially the antenna that greatly influences the RF performance, must be reviewed in advance. It seems to have to be applied after checking through.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2023

In this paper, we propose a method to recognize the braille blocks for embedded devices in real time through deep learning. First, a deep learning model for braille block recognition is trained on a high-performance computer, and the learning model is applied to a lightweight tool to apply to an embedded device. To recognize the walking information of the braille block, an algorithm is used to determine the path using the distance from the braille block in the image. After detecting braille blocks, bollards, and crosswalks through the YOLOv8 model in the video captured by the embedded device, the walking information is recognized through the braille block path discrimination algorithm. We apply the model lightweight tool to YOLOv8 to detect braille blocks in real time. The precision of YOLOv8 model weights is lowered from the existing 32 bits to 8 bits, and the model is optimized by applying the TensorRT optimization engine. As the result of comparing the lightweight model through the proposed method with the existing model, the path recognition accuracy is 99.05%, which is almost the same as the existing model, but the recognition speed is reduced by 59% compared to the existing model, processing about 15 frames per second.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2019.05a
• /
• pp.49-52
• /
• 2019

Braille guide block of sidewalk is an essential facility for independent walking of the blind. The blind walks while checking the braile guide blocks with white cane and sense of sole. When they leave the braile area, they face difficulties until they find the braile guide blocks again. In this paper, we propose an algorithm that guides the walking of the blind by determining whether they follows the braille guide blocks safely. For this purpose, the slope of the braille block is selected as a feature and a 3-line detector is introduced. Also the slopes are stabilized using spatial filtering to deal with breaks or junctions of the braille block during the progress and temporal filtering to cope with ego-motion of the blind. Through simulations using a dataset obtained from the real sidewalks and indoors, it can be shown that the proposed algorithm can successfully estimate the walking direction and determine whether the blind is out of the braille guide block area.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.19-30
• /
• 2020

Purpose: The ratio of the visually impaired is gradually increasing due to various causes such as natural aging, accidents, and environmental changes. Therefore, this study has two folds. Firstly, it aims to analyze the current satisfaction level with information facilities for the visually impaired. Secondly, it aims to examine the factors affecting the satisfaction with indoor information facilities. Through this study, it helps to identify problems of information facilities for the visually impaired and it works as a practical data for further improvements. Methods: For 50 visually impaired people, a telephone survey was conducted on the satisfaction with the braille blocks, braille signboards, braille information boards with tactile map, audio guide devices, and safety egress devices. Microsoft Excel and SPSS 26.0 were used for the analysis. Results: It was confirmed that the overall satisfaction with the indoor information facilities was very low. The more the visually impaired people recognized the installation standards, and the better the maintenance was, the higher the satisfaction. In the case of braille blocks and braille signboards, the effect of information transfer on satisfaction was relatively high. In the case of audio guide device and safety egress device, the standard suitability influenced satisfaction. Implications: The low level of satisfaction with the overall information facilities can impede visually impaired people from receiving practical help through the information facilities. Factors influencing the satisfaction level of each facility were identified, which makes it possible to prepare effective improvement measures.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
• /
• 2003.07c
• /
• pp.2907-2910
• /
• 2003

시각장애인의 보행을 보조할 목적으로 설치된 점자보도블록은 보행방향과 정지 정보를 제공하지만, 현재 위치에 대한 정보는 제공 할 수 없어서 보행 보조물로써의 기능이 매우 제한되어 있다. 본 연구에서는 최근 IT 기술중 하나인 RFID(Radio Frequency Identification)를 내장한 새로운 개념의 점자보도블록과 이를 활용하여 보행을 유도할 수 있는 시스템을 제안하고자 한다. 점자보도블록에는 RFID 태그와 안테나를 삽입하여 현재 위치에 대한 정보를 저장하며, 백색지팡이에는 이 정보를 읽어 들이기 위한 리더기를 설치한다. 현재위치에 대한 정보는 PDA로 전송되어 해당되는 음성정보를 시각장애인에게 전달하게 된다. 제안된 시스템을 통해 시각장애인은 타인의 도움 없이 현재 자신이 위치한 곳에 대한 정보를 얻고, 올바른 곳으로 보행중인지를 판단할 수 있게 되므로, 시각장애인의 보행권과 사회활동권등 복지 증진에 효과가 있을 것이다.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.1725-1730
• /
• 2004

The railroad station building is a public facility that many people use. The disabled persons cannot move as freely as the ordinary persons do, so the facility shall be considered on this matter. We reviewed on the features of the retarded, visually handicapped and mentally retarded persons upon moving, and calculated the minimum space required in their move, access and use of the reachable space, and we also analyzed the design factors so that the prior guidance can be considered for the visually handicapped such as installation of guidance facility, change of finishing material and Braille points block handrail to avoid obstacles for the use of senses of touch, hearing and remained eyesight of the visually handicapped. In addition, we also analyzed the requests of general design totally to analyze and arrange the design factors with the thought that the facility for the handicapped shall be useful for the ordinary people as well as the handicapped.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
• /
• 2022.06a
• /
• pp.863-870
• /
• 2022

Unsatisfactory urban walking environment stresses urban residents, and may cause mental illness and chronic diseases by reducing walking activities. Therefore, establishing a high-quality walking environment that can promote walking activities in urban residents has emerged as an important issue. The walking environment consists of various components, such as trees, stairs, streetlights, benches, signs, fences, and facilities, and it is essential to understand which components and their settings act as satisfiers or dissatisfiers for pedestrians, to create a better quality walking environment. Therefore, this study investigated pedestrian satisfaction and dissatisfaction as a function of various environmental components through a survey using walking environment images. The results revealed that most of the walking environment components except the braille block and treezone exhibited significant correlations with pedestrian satisfaction. Particularly, safety-related component (e.g., adjacent roads, parked cars, traffic cushions, and car separation), and landscape-related components (e.g., trees and green), as well as the material settings of landscape facilities (e.g., wooden fences, benches, stairs, and walkway surfaces) correlated with pedestrian satisfaction. The results of this study can contribute to the extraction of useful features to evaluate pedestrian satisfaction as a function of the walking environment. The research outcome is expected to assist in the effective arrangement of walking environment components and their settings, which will ultimately contribute to significantly satisfactory walking environment and encourage walking activities.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.114-121
• /
• 2009

The number of the disabled is increasing every year. Growing interest in social welfare, but still the disabled person in places is restricted on the activities are due to obstacles. This study proposes an improvement direction through an research and analysis of installation status of convenient facilities in social welfare halls was planned after that the law of increase of convenience for the disabled person is enforced in 1998. This study analyzed nine social welfare halls of seoul including Yongsan-gu(GW), Guro-gu(GD, HW), Yeongdeungpo-gu(SG), Seodaemun-gu(SD), Dobong-gu(DB), Nowon-gu(NS), Seongbuk-gu(WG) and Dongdaemun-gu(JG). The evaluation criteria for the installation of convenient facilities for the disabled person in each social welfare hall based on the law of increase of convenience for the disabled person, and referred to other data. Also, review the criteria for the installation of convenient facilities, and grasp the present situation through the survey of convenient facilities in social welfare halls, and provides the installation standards of convenient facilities. The result are as followings. There were many problems to be improved in approach of the intermediate space, parking lot, entrance of the inside space and corridor that must be installed for the convenience of the disabled. In the intermediate space, the slope of the ramp, curb, induction handle etc. for a safety must be installed. Parking spaces for the disabled must be located closest to the main entrance, an induction marker or the handle, and the attachment of a directional sign etc. must be improved. In the inside space, it is convenient for the disabled person use to install an automatic door and swing door simultaneously at the main entrance. And, the height of the door handle, an induction block, a braille display panels of the appropriate height in the entrance, a braille display in start and end of the stairs handle, the handle of the side wall, the stairs to prevent slippage etc. must be improved in the corridors. The case of the sanitation which is a recommendation item is equipped formally with disabled toilets are difficult to use. Information and other convenience facilities for the disabled person in all the social welfare halls were not considered.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.202-208
• /
• 2016

The scope of activities of the visually impaired is increasing. But they are not easy to visit the destination safely because the building was complicated and larger than ever. There is a guide system for visually impaired such as GPS and Audio alerts, Braille guide block, Acoustic signaller, etc. But they are not suitable for indoor because most of them are the outdoor guide system. Therefore, in this paper, I propose a system that provides guidance information to the visually impaired using Voice Technology, TTS (Text to Speech) and Haptic Technology, Beacon based on the wireless sensor networks. It informed the visually impaired of guidance information about destination such as distance, height, and obstacle to the destination using the generalized smart phone. The user could be received guide info about searches for the optimal route to the destination using the TTS technology and Haptic technology in test result of the proposed system.