Walk Assistant is an information and guidance system for persons with severe visual impairments. It is the result of a joint research project carried out by Enea and Capodarco Elettronica Coop, with validation tests performed in collaboration with I.Ri.For, the research wing of the Unione Ciechi. It offers unique and highly effective features that allow the system to enjoy an exclusive position in the international market arena for guidance systems. The system meets to the requirements of a person who is totally blind, to determine precisely all the basic elements necessary for orientation and mobility in an urban environment: position, direction and orientation. By extension to other applications, it can also serve other user categories. The system integrates the basic elements with information on the user's immediate environment, warning of hazards, information on available services, when it is safe to cross the road, and public notices. The system has been implemented in various towns in Italy, in both on-street and museum environments, providing concrete experience that public administrations and the general public can use to make informed evaluations of the characteristics of new systems. Moreover, advanced programming functions allow data transfer from another Walk Assistant unit or from a specific telematics site, to enable Walk Assistant to adapt immediately and simply to new routes. It can also be activated to function as a vocal compass or for giving directions for covering short sections of the route (in situations where it is impractical to lay the cable in the pavement or flooring).
Abstract