Capstone Portfolio

2017/2018 – Semester 1 – Group no. 11336

Table of Contents

• Present and Justify a Problem and Solution Requirements

o Egypt Grand Challenges
o Problem to be Solved
I. Specifying the problem
II. If the problem is not solved
III. If the problem is solved
o Research
o Other solutions already tried
o Design Requirements
• Generating and Defending a Solution
o Selection of Solution
o Selection of Prototype
• Constructing and Testing a Prototype
o Materials and Methods
o Test Plan
o Data Collection
• Evaluation, Reflection, Recommendations
o Discussion
o Recommendations
o Learning Outcomes
o References

Page | 1
 Egypt’s Grand Challenges

1. Improve the use of alternative energies:

The average consumption of fossil fuels in Egypt is 94% has caused expectations of their loss in
the near future. Globally - every year we consume the equivalent of over 11 billion tons of oil.
Crude oil reserves are vanishing at the rate of 4 billion tons a year – if we carry on at this rate
without any increase for our growing population, the oil deposits will be gone by 2052. Adding
the 87% carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels; alternative – renewable – energy resources
will offer us another way to avoid this energy time bomb and produce clean energy.

Figure (1), illustrates

Egypt’s fossil fuels
percentages from 1971 to
2014

2. Recycle garbage and waste for economic and environmental purposes:

There has been no formal framework or strategic planning in the waste disposal sector, unclear
recycling efforts, and responsibilities and tasks are not clearly allocated. Instead of properly
disposing wastes, garbage piles are left for weeks and a lot of Egypt’s garbage ends up being burnt.
This has serious repercussions for the country’s air quality and health risks. Only 60 percent of the
waste produced in Cairo (which alone disposes of 8 tons a day) is collected, of which less than 15
percent is properly recycled or reused. No industrial efforts focus on recycling currently which is
a huge drawback as the industry itself contributes to large waste share.

Page | 2
 Waste type quantity (tons)
Municipal solid waste 13,806,269
Construction and demolition waste 41,748,603
Agricultural waste 30,000,000
Industrial waste 2,906,895
Medical waste 3,416,254
Waterway cleansing waste 3,058,509
Total 94,936,530

Table (1) shows the type and quantities of waste in Egypt 2010 (in tons)

3. Deal with urban congestion and its consequences:

Egypt has become the leading country in the world with an

estimated road traffic death rate of 42 deaths per 100,000.
About 99.3% of the population is concentrated in the Nile
Valley and the Delta although its area doesn’t exceed 3.5% of
Egypt’s area. This high population density is because most of
the sources of water, governmental services and sources of
energy in Egypt are concentrated in the urban cities like Cairo
Figure (2), Shows Egypt’s
and Alex. Diseases will be transmitted easily and rapidly from population concentration.

one person to another and social problems will lead to very critical economic problems.

4. Work to eradicate public health issues/disease: Figure (3) shows the mortality rate and
causes in Egypt in 2014
Poor hygiene, malnutrition, and other different
chronic diseases spread in Egypt and are unsupported
by old damaged health facilities. In some instances,
viruses had an increased intensity that led to
pneumonia, which can be fatal. Streets and school
walls that are lined with garbage are a major cause of
such common illnesses.

Page | 3
Of the plenty, health disorders are the respiratory problems and kidney failures resulted mainly
from the CO2and other wastes of fuels usage. Some common diseases in Egypt are HIV,
diabetes, Koruna, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, Typhoid fever, yellow fever, and others.

5. Increase the industrial and agricultural bases of Egypt:

It’s also widely known that Egypt's agricultural lands have been decreasing hugely in the past
decade which had a clear influence on the national economy. The deterioration of the industrial
sector is due to many categories of factors including the poor qualifications of the working
personnel, fuel issues, undeveloped machinery, and costly input sources. Transportation -
imports and exports -, manufacturing quality of products, employment percentage, funding
problems, and the decrease in the productivity are the main problems facing the local industrial
sector. Although the industrial sector plays a vital role in the overall economy, its added GDP
value dropped dramatically from 2015 till now as well as its production.

Figure (4), shows Egypt’s industrial production rate in Egypt from 2012 to 2017

6. Address and reduce pollution fouling our air, water, and soil:

Cairo and the upper- Egypt cities are Among the cities reportage to the World Health
Organization; the following have high
levels of a material tributary to poor air
quality. The improper waste disposal
into fresh streams, emissions through the
air, unhealthy designing, additionally as
the poorly studied industrial discharge long
Figure (5) shows the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in
million metric tons in Egypt

Page | 4
run contaminating impact all contribute to Egypt falling within the eleventh on death to
pollution international toll.

The deaths of 1.7 million kids underneath 5 and 4.9 million adults aged fifty to seventy-
five could be prevented through higher environmental management.

7. Improve uses of arid areas:

Egypt is preponderantly desert and arid and semi-arid

rangelands with about 94 of its land arid. this is often because
of the lack of urban planning studies and/or lack of
implementation of the designed urban plans throughout last
decades. This unreasonable distribution is additionally due to
terribly restricted and rare sufficient resources in Egypt’s
deserts that people want. Figure (6) shows the populated and
unpopulated areas in Egypt by concentrations
8.Manage and increase the sources of clean water:
A report by the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights said that approximately 38 million people
drink polluted water. High rates of poisoning cases are caused by pollution from the different
cities; 35% by Cairo, 12% by Giza, and 50%
by Qalyubiyah. Researches done on the
water in Egypt showed that about 100,000
people are diagnosed with cancer every
year, and 15,000 people get kidney failure
along with other diseases
That is due to the water pollution. This is
primarily due to pollutants The Nile faces
daily including industrial wastewater
discharge; pesticides and chemical fertilizer
residue from the agricultural application,
and the oil spills which may occur while
Figure (7)
transporting fossil fuels and many others.

Page | 5
9.Deal with population growth and its consequences:
Egypt’s population is generally rising
at an extremely progressive rate,
which is causing concern within the
government, and an increase in
expenditure on family planning
policies. This increased population
without a prorated increase in
enterprises has resulted in increased
underemployment and poverty rates.
The increased population has also
resulted in increased pressure on Figure (8) shows the Egyptian population in millions

all existing utilities.

10. Improve the scientific and technological environment for all:

The whole world now is using the technology in all fields, and unfortunately, Egypt is not
included in those countries which make a big gap between us and the world’s developing
countries. As technology is widely used, this problem contributes to the wide spreading of
poverty and the lack of basic amenities
such as cleaning, food supply, and
running water. About 26% of the
population is illiterate and the number
is growing and only about 33% of the
population uses the internet. The
financial section devoted to research
and development is very low compared
to middle-income countries which
Figure (9) shows the percentage of literacy in Egypt in 2012
obviously reflect on the poor industrial
bases and output.

Page | 6
11. Reduce and adapt to the effect of climatic change

Adaptation means the prediction of adverse effects of climate change and taking suitable actions
to prevent or minimize the resulted damage including undermining development efforts, rising
poverty levels, increased water, and food insecurity, and increased environmental issues such as
increasing the sea level.
Ways to solve this problem
include increasing the usage
of the renewable energies,
improving the efficiency of
the industrial sector, use
modern irrigation systems to
save water and develop
kinds of corps that cultivate Figure (10) shows the effect of the climate change and rise in sea level
across the globe
in high temperature.

Problem to be solved

I. Specifying the problem

The world faces a fundamental dilemma as in recent years there has been a rapid increase
globally in technological and economic potential, but there has also been a huge deterioration in
health status in many developing countries.
Although there have been important strides over the past few decades in the treatment and
prevention of eye diseases that cause visual impairment, there are still many causes of vision loss
for which there is no cure.

An impairment, in general, is a loss or abnormality that may be temporary or permanent, and it

includes the existence or occurrence of an anomaly, defect, or loss in a limb, organ, tissue, or
other structure of the body, or a defect in a functional system or mechanism of the body,
including the systems of mental function

Page | 7
Visual impairment can be defined as any chronic visual deficit that impairs everyday functioning
and is not correctable by ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Figure (11) shows the percentage of
Because of the narrowly defined definitions of visual impairments across the globe
impairment, people undoubtedly underestimate the
problem, even though vision impairments are the third
most spread impairments across the globe with more than
253 million people suffering from it.

However, many people experience functional limitations

due to vision loss even though they do not meet the
criteria for legal blindness. Even relatively mild
impairment of vision can affect the performance of everyday tasks such as driving, reading, and
walking.

One of the most active threats to the autonomous life of blind people is the quantity and variety
of obstacles they face while moving, whether they are obstacles in the footpath or obstacles
coming out from the walls of buildings. Hence, it is necessary to develop a solution that helps or
assists blind people while moving either in indoor or outdoor scenarios

Research in visual impairment and blindness is aimed at developing and assessing new
methods for the rehabilitation of visually impaired individuals through assistive technologies,
training, and rehabilitation services and education.

Vision Impairments:

Vision impairment (VI) is defined as having 20/40 or

worse vision in the better eye even with
eyeglasses. Blindness is a severe vision impairment, not
correctable by standard glasses, contact lenses,
medicine, or surgery. It interferes with a person’s ability
to perform everyday activities is defined as a vision
with the best correction in the better eye worse than or
equal to 20/200 or a visual field of fewer than 20
Figure (12) shows the visual field of the human eye.
degrees in diameter.

Page | 8
The visual field refers to the total area in which objects can be seen in the side (peripheral) vision
as you focus your eyes on a central point (figure 12).

More than 75% of all blindness and MSVI (moderate to severe visual impairment) is avoidable
of which 124 million cases are due to uncorrected refractive errors and 65 million are due to
cataract. The refractive errors are the major and the most easily avoidable of all the causes.
They’re merely myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism and
presbyopia. However, since the medical services available to the middle and low-income sector
are highly deteriorated, these errors are often treated inadequately and so lead to an avoidable
blindness.

Visual impairment represents a continuum, from people with very poor vision to people who can
see light but no shapes, to people who have no perception of light at all. However, for general
discussion, it is useful to think of this population as representing two broad groups: those with
low vision and those who are legally blind.
Population of the visually
There are three types of visual impairments: 300 impaired in millions
250
total blindness, low vision, and color blindness
200
According to a recent update in 2017, the WHO estimated 253
150
million people live with vision impairment: 36 million are
100
blind and 217 million have moderate to severe vision
50
impairment (figure 13).
Figure (14) shows the global distribution of avoidable 0
Total Severe to moderate Blind
blindness based on the population in each of the WHO regions.
Figure (13)
As for Egypt, there are more than 2.2 million
South East Asia
people with visual disabilities, 900,000 of which 10%
Western Pacific
are totally blind, and most of which suffer from 9% 28%
African
poverty, lack of accessibilities, ineffective
10%
Mediterranean
educational techniques and governmental
American
negligence; yet they still have hope in life and 17%
26%
European
challenge their physical disabilities along with the
Figure (14)
disabilities created by the society.
Page | 9
 II. If the problem is not solved

The visually impaired face a lot of challenges every day and neglecting it would lead to
many complications:

1- Interaction with Environment

Blind people can have difficulty interacting with their environment. Because it can become
difficult to perceive where one is and to get from one place to another, movement can become
restricted, leading to having little contact with the surrounding world. This can have a huge
psychologically effect on them.

2- Social Interaction

Blind people are often restricted in their ability to interact socially. There can be an apprehension
or awkwardness on the part of sighted people when dealing with the blind, which can lead to
difficulty for the blind in developing relationships. As a result, they are often relegated to
specific roles in society and are usually held to lower standards and expectations, and it becomes
more difficult for them to find jobs and a position in this society as about 65% - 70% of the blind
are whether unemployed or underemployed.

3- Exposure to accidents:

A high percentage of visually impaired people are exposed to the risk of falls and collisions in
the street, and a higher percentage when it comes to street accidents as being hit by (cars, buses,
… etc.) or even by bikes on the pavement. The unreliable guides of the blind make no difference
while crossing the streets and a lot of people die or have serious injuries because of traffic
accidents.

4- Psychological problems:

Visually impaired people face a lot of problems while interacting with people as some insults or
sarcastic comments are said in the streets or in any public places, while other blind people hate
the idea of people wanting to help them when they find about their ability, mainly because they

Page | 10
use devices like the walking cane and the guiding dogs that mark them from everyone else.
These things effect on their psychological state and some develop serious mental issues.

On the whole, however, people with disabilities have a poorer health status than the general
population. According to the WHO World report on disability, several factors contribute to
such differing levels of health or 'health disparities'.

1. Risk of developing secondary conditions

Some disabled people have a higher risk of secondary conditions, such as depression and
osteoporosis. Others may be more susceptible to developing (or experience an earlier onset of)
chronic diseases, for instance, due to inactivity. Moreover, some groups of people with
disabilities have increased rates of comorbid conditions such as high blood pressure,
cardiovascular disease or diabetes (e.g. in the case of people with schizophrenia).

2. Greater vulnerability to age-related conditions

The aging process begins earlier than usual for some groups of disabled people, and age-related
conditions may be more common among them. People with Down syndrome, for instance, have
a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

3. Increased rates of behavior causing risks to health

People with disabilities are more likely to be overweight or obese, present higher rates of
smoking, and tend to be less physically active.

4. Higher risk of unintentional injury

Some groups of disabled people are at higher risk of injury from road-traffic crashes, burns, falls
and accidents.

5. Higher risk of premature death

While mortality rates vary depending on the primary health condition, people with
schizophrenia, learning impairments or mental health disorders generally have a lower life
expectancy.

Page | 11
 III. If the problem is solved

Providing a tool for the visually impaired to help them navigate easily will solve
many problems they face;

i. Help them navigate the environment easily whether it’s a place they know or not.
ii. Help decrease the number of deaths and health issues spread with no effective solution.
iii. Give them the ability to work and find jobs like the sighted people do normally.
iv. The percentage of accidents will also decrease dramatically as there will be tools to
help them.
v. Their lives socially, economically and psychologically will be much better as they won’t
face the same problems and insults from people for using a white cane or dog.
vi. Developing devices that are small and efficient will help them walk and interact with
people easily without drawing the attention to their disability.

Research

The world faces of fundamental dilemma as in recent years there has been a huge deterioration in
health status in many developing countries. There is evidence that correlates poverty with high
disease burden which compels and stands at the center of the issue we are addressing.
Impairment: is a loss or abnormality that may be temporary or permanent, and it includes the
existence or occurrence of an anomaly, defect, or loss in a limb, organ, tissue, or other structure
of the body, or a defect in a functional system or mechanism of the body, including the systems
of mental function.

Some of the widespread diseases that cause impairments are:

1. Arthritis and other musculoskeletal problems:

These are the most common causes of long-term disability. They make up as much as a third of all
disability cases. Arthritis is probably the biggest single cause. About 1 in 3 people say arthritis affects
their ability to do their jobs in some way, according to the CDC. Other muscle and joint problems --
bad backs, bones that never mend, bad hips -- are common causes of disability too

Page | 12
2. Heart disease and stroke: People may live with heart disease for years or decades. It can
severely limit their ability to work. Cancer. While cancer itself can be disabling, treatments such
as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can also make it difficult to work. "Cancer is the fastest-
growing cause for disability claims,"

3. Mental health problems: You might think of disability as physical, but mental health problems
can make work difficult or impossible. Depression, bipolar disorder, and other conditions can be
as disabling as any physical illness. Mental health problems are the most common reason that
people file for Social Security disability

4. Nervous system disorder: these include a number of conditions that affect the brain or nerves
like:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Parkinson’s diseases
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease)
5. Pregnancy: You might not think about pregnancy as a disabling condition. Since most women in
the U.S. don't get paid maternity leave, it effectively is. Long-term disability caused by
pregnancy is relatively rare. Women who wind up needing bed rest while they're pregnant or who
suffer from complications afterward -- like postpartum depression -- can face serious financial
stress.
6. Accidents and injuries: Many people assume accidents are the most likely cause of disability.
But they are actually the cause of less than 10% of disability cases.

Main types of impairments:

1. Sensory impairments
2. Vision Impairments
3. Hearing Impairments
4. Speech and language impairments
5. Cognitive and other psychological and intellectual impairments
6. Physical/mobility/motor impairments

Walking or musculoskeletal issues are all addressed through surgeries and if not, the advanced
technologies made access to all people of all communities to artificial limbs and with the least

Page | 13
prices but when it comes to vision impairments, the old traditional techniques are still used with
little development, and the new devices made have high prices. Considering this problem in
Egypt and the middle east, the majority of the visually impaired people lie within the poor sector.

Types disabilities

1. Motor disabilities

Motor disabilities, or mobility impairments, affect the upper and/or lower limbs. They include,
for instance, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries (traumatic and non-traumatic), Parkinson's
disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and varying degrees of paralysis,
including locked-in syndrome.

An estimated 2.6 million people in the EU have mobility problems affecting their upper limbs,
and approximately half of them require assistive technologies to perform everyday tasks. The
needs of people with severe motor disabilities can be addressed by means of brain-computer

interfaces (BCI). A BCI is a system that translates brain signals into commands, which are then
relayed to a device that carries out actions. BCIs are either invasive or non-invasive: invasive
when electrodes are surgically implanted on or near the surface of the brain (brain implants,
neuroprosthetics); non-invasive when electrodes are placed on the scalp, usually held in place in
a cap.

Examples of non-invasive and invasive BCIs

• A prototype tongue-drive system enables people with upper-level spinal cord injuries to
navigate an electrically powered wheelchair by moving their tongue: the users wear a dental
retainer embedded with sensors, which they control by means of a tongue stud containing
tiny magnets.
• In a project funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a precision-
controlled prosthetic arm has been developed to restore functionality for people with upper-
extremity amputations: electrodes detect electrical signals from the person's muscles and
send them to a computer processor in the prosthesis, which translates them into a specific
movement.

Page | 14
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a type of neurosurgery used to treat some symptoms of
Parkinson's disease, such as slowness of movement, stiffness, and tremor. The DBS system
consists of three components: the electrode, implanted in the brain; the extension, which is
passed under the skin, connecting the electrode to the implantable pulse generator (IPG),
usually placed around the chest area. When the device is switched on, the electrode delivers
high-frequency stimulation to the targeted area in the brain, thereby changing some of the
electrical signals that are responsible for the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
• An ongoing small-scale project on gait rehabilitation has studied the use of a mind-controlled
exoskeleton – a wearable robotic 'suit' that encases the limbs of people with lower extremity
weakness, such as in the case of stroke or spinal cord injury. It works by converting brain
signals into movement: the individual wears an electrode cap that allows the device to read
brain activity patterns associated with the wearer's intentions to move. These are then
translated into an electrical signal that moves the legs of the exoskeleton, allowing the person
to walk. The device also feeds tactile information back to the wearer on how they are
walking. Evidence from the study suggests that this feedback has partially reawakened the
nervous systems of the participants by promoting nerve cells to reactivate and regrow. As a
result, all of the people participating were found to regain sensations and the ability to move
previously paralyzed limbs.

2. Vision disabilities

Vision impairments range from 'low vision' – a term grouping together moderate and severe
visual impairment as per International Classification of Diseases (ICD) – to blindness. Visual
impairment can be the result of an injury to the eye or a number of eye-related conditions, such
as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. It can also be
hereditary or caused by brain and nerve disorders.

Examples of a wearable device, a stem-cell application and a neuroprosthetic:

o A glove-shaped wearable communication device is currently being developed for people who
are deaf and blind. It translates 'Lorm', a hand-touch sign language used by the deaf-blind to
communicate, into text messages and emails, and vice versa.

Page | 15
o A small-scale study involving patients with two types of eye diseases – age-related macular
degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss in people over 60 years of age, and
Stargardt's macular dystrophy, a rarer congenital disease – has provided the first evidence
that stem-cell transplants from human embryos may be a safe and potentially effective
therapy to help improve the sight of the nearly blind.
o Researchers are now constructing novel visual prostheses ('bionic eyes') that aim to restore
sight for blind people or people with profound vision loss. The devices work by stimulating
neurons in the retina or in the optic nerve. First results have shown that the implants may
enable blind patients to recognize objects and even perform reading tasks.

Vision Impairment causes:

- Strabismus:
In this condition, both eyes are unable to gaze at an object at the
same time. Strabismus is caused by a muscle imbalance. The
technical term for eye turn occurs when one of the two eyes does
not aim at the spot one is looking at. An eye may turn inwards
(esotropia), outwards (exotropia), or upwards (hypertropia) or
downwards (hypotropia) as in figure 15.

- Amblyopia:
This is basically impaired vision in one eye due to lack of its use
in early childhood (might be considered as a development of
strabismus). This is seen in squint or “lazy eye” since both the Figure (15)
eyes project differently and send in different messages to the
brain the brain may then turn off or suppress images from the weaker eye. This stops
development of the weaker eye leading to amblyopia in that eye.

- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD):

It is a progressive condition that affects the macula. The macula, located at the back of the eye is
a small spot on the retina which is responsible for central vision. As a result, people with and
experience a loss of sight to their central vision and rely on their peripheral vision to see.

Page | 16
Figure (16) illustrates the visual difference between a healthy eye and eye with AMD

- Cataract:
This is a clouding of the lens, resulting in
blurry vision and faded colors. This leads to
glare-sensitivity and increases the risk of trips
and falls. A cataract is a cloudiness that forms
in the lens of the eye – the part that allows a Figure (17) shows the difference between a normal
eye and a cataract eye
focused image to be transmitted onto the retina.
This cloudiness creates blurring, affecting both near and distance vision. Cataracts generally
result from the aging process, though they can also develop from other causes such as congenital
disability (from birth) or trauma to the eye. Cataracts due to aging usually develop slowly and
affect both eyes at different rates.
- Glaucoma
This condition results due to raised
pressure within the eyes (figure 18). The
increased pressure impairs vision by
damaging the optic nerve. This may be
seen in older adults and in some babies as
well who are born with the condition.
Glaucoma can result in tunnel vision and
even total blindness. Early detection is Figure (18) illustrates the difference between a normal eye
and eye with glaucoma
vital.

Page | 17
- Diabetic Retinopathy
It is caused by diabetes and results in
increasingly blurred, patchy and
fluctuating vision. Regular eye checks
are crucial to reducing acuity.
It is a result of diabetes and affects the
retina part of the eye. Diabetic
retinopathy causes the blood vessels of
the eyes to become blocked and can
Figure (19) illustrates the difference between a normal eye and
result in vision loss and blindness. an eye with retinopathy

- Neurological Vision Impairment (NVI) can result from an acquired brain injury.
Neurological Visual Impairment (NVI) is now the preferred name for a type of vision
impairment that has been and is still referred to as Cortical Visual Impairment or Cortical
Blindness. NVI is now divided into three categories: Cortical Visual Impairment, Delayed Visual
Maturation, and Cortical Blindness. These divisions are made according to what area of the brain
has been affected.

Cortical visual impairment (CVI), and cerebral visual impairment (CVI) are terms often used to
describe visual impairment that occurs because of injury or damage to the brain, as are
neurological vision loss.

3. Hearing disabilities

Hearing loss, or deafness, can be congenital. It can also result from disease (e.g. ear infections
and meningitis), trauma, the side-effects of certain medicines, long-term exposure to loud noise,
and aging.
A person's ability to hear can be improved by hearing aids and – for deaf or profoundly hearing-
impaired people who cannot use ordinary hearing aids – ear implants. The most commonly used
type of ear implant is the cochlear implant, an electronic device that transforms acoustic
information into an electrical signal, which is then delivered directly to the auditory nerve. It
consists of an internal part made up of a transmitter surgically implanted into the bone
surrounding the ear (temporal bone), with an electrode array positioned in the cochlea, and an

Page | 18
external part – a microphone and speech processor. Approximately 324 000 people worldwide
have received cochlear implants (data as of December 2012).

Example of a neuroprosthetic used for gene therapy:

Scientists have for the first time used cochlear implants for gene therapy: the electrical pulses
delivered from the implant were utilized to deliver a solution of DNA molecules close to the
implanted electrodes. These cells then produced neutrophils (proteins important for the
development and function of neurons), thereby triggering the regeneration of auditory nerves.

There are four types of hearing loss:

1. Conductive Hearing Loss

Conductive Hearing Loss occurs when there

is a problem with the Outer or Middle
Ear which interferes with the passing sound
to the Inner Ear. It can be caused by such
things as too much earwax, Ear Infections, a
punctured eardrum, a fluid build-up, or
abnormal bone growth in the Middle Ear
such as Otosclerosis. It is more common in Figure (20) illustrates the different positions where the
children and indigenous populations. hearing impairments occur

2. Sensorineural Hearing Loss

This occurs when there is a problem with the sensory (hair cells) and/or neural structures
(nerves) in the inner ear (cochlea). Most often, sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to the
tiny hair cells that are activated by sound waves to vibrate and release chemical messengers that
stimulate the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve is made up of many nerve fibers that then carry
signals to the brain that are interpreted as sound. While sensorineural hearing loss usually
involves damage to the tiny hair cells, it also can result from damage to the auditory nerve.

It can be genetic or caused by the natural aging process, diseases, accidents or exposure to loud
noises such as Noise-induced Hearing Loss and certain kinds of chemicals and medications Most

Page | 19
sensorineural hearing loss cannot be reversed with medical treatment and is typically described
as an irreversible, permanent condition.

2.1. Auditory Processing Disorders

It occurs when the brain has problems processing the information contained in sound, such as
understanding speech and working out where sounds are coming from.

Auditory neuropathy occurs when there is a problem with the auditory nerve transmitting the
signal from the cochlea to the brain.

Most of the references include it within the sensorineural hearing loss but lately, it has been
induced as a type itself as it has different symptoms, signs and treatment methods.

3. Mixed Hearing Loss

A Mixed Hearing Loss occurs when both Conductive Hearing Loss and Sensorineural Hearing
Loss are present. The sensorineural component is permanent, while the conductive component
can either be permanent or temporary. For example, a Mixed Hearing Loss can occur when a
person with Presbycusis also has an Ear Infection.

The hearing loss can also be divided into four groups according to the degree into:

A. Mild: So, someone with mild hearing loss may have minimal or no issues communicating in
quiet, in one-on-one settings, or with only a couple of people. But they tend to have difficulty
hearing softer environmental sounds as well as some conversations, especially in noisier
environments, at a distance, in larger-group settings, or over the phone.

B. Moderate: By the time someone has a moderate hearing loss, the person often strains to keep
up with conversation in most settings without the use of hearing aids or other assistive
listening devices.

C. Severe: In day-to-day life, that means that someone with an untreated severe hearing loss
would have trouble following most conversations. They likely would have difficulty even
hearing loud speech without amplification, such as hearing aids.

Page | 20
D. Profound: A person with a profound hearing loss probably would not hear any speech and
only very loud sounds. They most often have difficulty hearing conversations even with
hearing aids and often rely on lip-reading and/or sign language.

4. Cognitive disabilities:

Cognitive disabilities encompass various conditions affecting intellectual or cognitive ability,

such as Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, autism and dementia. Examples may also
include less severe conditions such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder and other learning
disabilities that involve problem-solving, mathematical comprehension, reading, linguistic and
verbal comprehension.

Example of a cyber-physical application:

Researchers are using humanoid robots, such as NAO or ZENO, to help children with autism
improve social skills. Autistic children typically find human interaction overwhelming, and
engaging with these interactive 'social' robots may prove to be a valuable learning tool.
There are three main types of cognitive impairments:

1. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

MCI causes a slight, oftentimes unnoticeable, decline in memory function. Unlike other types of
cognitive impairment which affect speech and bodily control, with MCI only one function is
declining—memory. It’s important to treat signs and symptoms as early as possible. A person
with MCI is at increased risk for developing more severe types of impairment like dementia or
Alzheimer’s.

2. Dementia

Dementia is more severe than MCI, but initial symptoms appear in the same gradual and
progressive manner. There are several types of dementia.

• Vascular dementia is caused by an impaired blood supply to the brain and may be brought on
by a stroke.
• Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It typically
results from the death of nerve cells and loss of tissue in the brain.

Page | 21
• Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a group of disorders triggered by gradual nerve cell loss in
the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes. These are just several among many forms of dementia
seen in the elderly.

3. Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is the most serious, and common, form of dementia. It is a progressive
disease with symptoms developing gradually before they intensify over time. In its late stages,
the disease can make it difficult for a person to handle daily tasks, think clearly, control bodily
movements and live independently.

5. Communication disabilities (speech and language disorders)

Speech impairments may range from mild to severe and refer to an impaired ability to produce
speech sounds. They include articulation disorders (omissions or distortions of sounds), fluency
disorders (atypical flow or rhythm) and voice disorders (abnormal pitch, volume, vocal quality or
duration).
Speech disabilities are caused by, or associated with, other disorders or disabilities, including
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke, brain damage, Parkinson's disease, autism
and Down syndrome.

Examples of applications (apps)

• A free app allows people who cannot speak to display some basic concepts to other people
by means of 'yes' and 'no' buttons and scrollable lists of statements.
• A free app for people who have difficulty speaking utilizes the audio output of the phone to
speak words, phrases, and sentences.
• A prototype app enables people with speech and language disorders to communicate by
translating unintelligible pronunciation into understandable speech.

Language disorders:
1. Expressive
2. Receptive
3. Expressive-receptive

Page | 22
Speech disorders:

1. Articulation/Phonological disorders

An articulation disorder is a speech sound disorder in which a child has difficulty making certain
sounds correctly. Sounds may be omitted or improperly altered during the course of the speech.
A child may substitute sounds (“wabbit” instead of “rabbit”) or add sounds improperly to words.
Young children will typically display articulation issues as they learn to speak, but they are
expected to “grow out of it” by a certain age. If the errors persist past a standard developmental
age, which varies based on the sound, then that child has an articulation disorder.

The most common articulation disorders are in the form of a “lisp” – when a child does not
pronounce the S sound correctly – or when a child cannot pronounce the R sound correctly. He
may say “wabbit” instead of “rabbit” or “buhd” or instead of “bird.”

2. Fluency disorders (i.e. Stuttering)

It occurs when speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions, prolonging of sounds and

hesitation or pausing before the speech. Stuttering can be developmental, meaning it begins
during early speech acquisition or acquired due to brain trauma. No one knows the exact causes
of stuttering in a child. It is considered to have a genetic basis, but the direct link has not yet
been found. Children with relatives who stutter are 3 times as likely to develop stuttering.
Stuttering is also more typical in children who have congenital disorders like cerebral palsy.

3. Voice

A voice disorder occurs when voice quality, pitch, and loudness differ or are inappropriate for
an individual's age, gender, cultural background, or geographic location. The person may have a
voice disorder if you have a problem with pitch, volume, tone, and other qualities of your voice.
These problems occur when your vocal cords don't vibrate normally.

Page | 23
4. Fragile X Syndrome

It is an inherited genetic disorder that is the most common cause of inherited intellectual
disabilities in boys as well as autism (about 30% of children with FXS will have autism). It also
affects girls, though their symptoms tend to be milder. It is greatly under-recognized and second
only to Down syndrome in causing intellectual impairment. If a child received a pre-mutated X
chromosome from one of his parents (as a carrier), then he is at greater risk of developing FXS.

Electricity-related concepts

1- An electric circuit: It is a path in which electrons from

a voltage or current source flow.
2- Voltage: Is electric potential energy per unit charge,
measured in joules per coulomb (= volts).
3- Potential difference: The Potential difference is the work
done per unit charge. A potential difference of 1 V means
that 1 joule of work is done per coulomb of charge. (1 V = 1 Figure (21), Schematic diagram for
the electric circuit.
J C-1).

▪ V = potential difference in volts, V

▪ W = work done, or energy transferred in joules, J
▪ Q = charge in coulombs, C
Batteries

Batteries can be divided into two major categories, primary batteries, and secondary batteries. A
primary battery is a disposable kind of battery. Once used, it cannot be recharged. Secondary
batteries are rechargeable batteries. Once empty, it can be recharged again. This charging and
discharging can happen many times depending on the battery type. Alkaline batteries, Mercury
batteries, Silver-Oxide batteries, and Zinc-carbon batteries are examples of primary batteries
whereas Lead-Acid batteries and Lithium batteries fall into the secondary battery's category.

Page | 24
 1. Nickel metal hydride (figure 20)

Description: Small dry-cell batteries, sealed, rechargeable

Formats: AAA, AA, C, D, 9 volts, 12 volts, poly-wrapped cell
packs, small-cylinder, custom sizes
Common Uses: Cell phones, laptop computers, PDAs, power
tools, hybrid automobiles (see Hybrid Automobile section
also), cameras, handheld electronics and R/C hobby vehicles Figure (22), Nickel metal hydride
batteries
Safety: Non-spillable, non-toxic

2. Nickel-cadmium (figure 21)

Description: Small dry-cell batteries, sealed, rechargeable

Formats: AAA, AA, C, D, small-cylinder, poly-wrapped cell
packs, custom sizes in hard plastic
Figure (23), Nickel
Common Uses: Cell phones, laptop computers, power tools, cadmium battery
handheld electronics, toys, R/C hobby vehicles, medical
equipment
Safety: Non-spillable, cadmium is a toxic heavy metal, never incinerate - produces toxic
cadmium vapors

3. Lithium-ion (Li-ion)

Description: Small dry cell batteries, sealed, rechargeable

Formats: Custom sizes in hard plastic case, small-cylinder,
button cells
Common Uses: Cell phones, laptop computers, power tools,
hybrid automobiles (see Hybrid Automobile section also),
video cameras, handheld electronics Figure (24), lithium-ion battery

Safety: Non-spillable, non-toxic

Lithium battery recycling: High-temperature metal reclamation (HTMR) is used to recycle the
metals (nickel, iron, cobalt, etc.) and plastics of lithium batteries for reuse in new products

Page | 25
 4. Lead Acid Gel

Description: Small to medium, dry-cell batteries, sealed, rechargeable

Formats: Rectangular, custom sizes in hard plastic case
Common Uses: Wheelchairs, scooters, golf carts, ride-on electric toys, boats, RVs, military
aircraft, portable tools, and instruments
Safety: Non-spillable gelled electrolyte, lead is a toxic heavy metal, can cause fire if short-
circuited.

Coating Layers

Hydrophobic surface repels water

with the properties of low
wettability and contact angles more
than 90º . The higher contact angle
the lower the value of adhesion on
the surface and increase the
hydrophobicity. For contact angle
more than 150° the surface is
termed as superhydrophobic

Hydrophobicity also can be

regulated by the roughness factor.

Figure (25), schematic illustration of self-cleaning surfaces prepared by

different methods

With rougher surfaces, the contact angle of water on it will increase, and form bumps that trap air
between water and the surface. The “Lotus Effect” was applied in this super hydrophobic mechanism.
The lotus plant cleans itself by having a superhydrophobic leaf which consists of microscopic bumps
all across the leaf’s surface that play the important part in its water-repelling properties.

Meanwhile, besides hydrophobic, researchers also seek more interest in hydrophilic surface which is
advantageous in presence of water for self-cleaning application. The wettability is high and the contact
angle is approximately 0°. Therefore, the water lies flat on the surface in a sheet instead of droplets.

Page | 26
It cleans the surface alongside the photocatalysis process, followed by sheeting of water which makes
the surface super hydrophilic thus carry the dirt molecules away

The self-cleaning phenomenon is related to the surface contact angle. It is the angle formed at the
three-phase boundary (solid/liquid/vapor) between the surfaces of the liquid drop to the surface of the
solid. In general, if the contact angle is <90° the solid surface is termed as a hydrophilic surface. When
the contact angle (CA) is >90°, the surface is defined as a hydrophobic surface. Similarly, a surface
with a water contact angle approaching zero is classified as ultra (super) hydrophilic and a surface
with a contact angle >150° is usually categorized as ultra (super) hydrophobic

Hydrophobic self-cleaning:

Because droplets tend to roll only on surfaces

with very high static contact angles, authors
often quote only a static contact angle for their
surfaces. The rolling motion more efficiently
cleans the surface and is less likely to leave
behind dirt than the sliding motion that occurs at Figure (26)
lower contact angles. The requirements for a
self-cleaning hydrophobic surface, therefore, are a very high static water contact angle, θs, the
condition often quoted is θs > 160°, and a very low roll-off angle, i.e. the minimum inclination
angle necessary for a droplet to roll off the surface. A surface with these two properties is known
as super hydrophobic, or alternatively ‘ultra-phobic’.

a) fluorinated polymers: films of chemically hydrophobic materials, such as

fluorinated polymers, static contact angles as high as 130° can be achieved. While
such polymers are widely used as ‘easy clean’ surfaces in a number of products, their
contact angles are not high enough to cause the rolling motion necessary for true self-
cleaning. The key to obtaining higher θs
b) waxes and paraffins: Several techniques are known for the micron-scale patterning of
hydrophobic surfaces through the use of molded polymers and waxes

While these surfaces are effective self-cleaners, they suffer from a number of drawbacks which
have so far prevented widespread application.

Page | 27
Batch processing a hydrophobic material is a costly and time-consuming technique, and the
coatings produced are usually hazy – precluding applications on lenses and windows, and fragile
materials.

Hydrophilic:

These coatings chemically break down dirt when exposed to light, a process known as
“photocatalysis”, although of course, it is the coating, not the incident light that acts as a catalyst.

Figure (27)

Although most semiconductor self-cleaning studies concentrate on irradiating TiO2 with UV light,
other materials and methods can be used. Several metal oxides and sulfides, including WO3, ZrO2,
ZnO and CdS, and poly-oxometallates have been investigated over the years, although none have
managed to surpass TiO2 using light alone to activate the catalyst

The most known materials used in this field are Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide, we investigated the
comparison between the cleaning efficiencies of both and we yield the following data: As for the
working mechanism, they both followed the photocatalysis process, where Zinc Oxide required
UV light, and TiO2 is being advanced to operate on visible light with the same efficiency.

Figure (28)

Page | 28
 Types of sensors

Table (2) shows a comparison between the cons and pros of different sensors
Sensor type Pros Cons
IR • -inexpensive -sharp type range: 10cm to 80cm
• -Narrow and focused area of only
detection - rely on infrared light, and don’t
• -Can measure the distance to function well in direct sunlight.
an object • - Colour of the object
• detected will influence the
distance measurement.

Ultrasonic • -Capable of measuring the • - Objects like foam often

distance to the object (up to cause inaccurate readings.
6.5m) • - Clicks can be heard when a
• -Aren’t compromised by pulse is transmitted
direct sunlight

• RFID • -Can differentiate between • -Crude or non-existent

objects
• -Large effective range if
actively powered tags are
used
• -Passive tags can be very
small, easy to attach to objects
distance sensing capabilities
• -Little in the way of
directionality when sensing
an object
• -Can only sense objects if
they’ve been manually
tagged

CAPACITIVE • - Can detect any material • -Binary “on/off” detection

(with varying sensitivity)
• - Can detect objects through
other substances like glass or
plastic
• - No need for direct contact
• -Does not measure distance
to an object
• -Water around the sensor can
interfere with the
readings since water has
high dielectric constant
• -Limited range (~1cm)

Page | 29
 INDUCTIVE • - Can detect metallic objects
through other non-metallic
substances
• - Can detect any metal
• No need for direct contact
• -Only detects metal objects
• -Binary “on/off” detection
• -Doesn’t measure distance
• -Limited range (~1cm)

VISUAL (OpenCV) • -Potential to identify objects • -Computationally demanding

and differentiate them by • -Cannot find distance
color, shape, texture. without prior knowledge of
• -Object differentiation doesn’t the object (i.e. size) or a
require tagging like for RFID specialized stereo camera set

According to the researched data, only IR and Ultrasonic sensors are capable of detecting
obstacles, therefore a comparison was made between the two to find the better of the two.

- Ultrasonic sensors: work on the principle of reflected sound waves and are used to measure
distance. One sensor can detect others operating nearby. Sound waves are emitted by the
ultrasonic sensor and they’re reflected back if there is an object in front of it. The sensor
detects these waves and measures the time it takes between transmitting and receiving those
sound waves. Distance is then estimated by the time interval between sensor and object.

Ultrasonic sensors are, for the most part, completely insensitive to hindering factors like:

• Light
• Dust
• Smoke
• Mist
• Vapor
• Lint
- Infrared sensors work on the principle of reflected light waves. Infrared light reflected from
objects or sent from an infrared remote or beacon. Infrared sensors are also used to measure
distance or proximity. The reflected light is detected and then an estimate of distance is
calculated between sensor and object.

Page | 30
- There are two types of it:
1. Reflective sensors for short distances
2. Sharp sensors for larger distances

Infrared sensors can’t work in dark

environments while Ultrasonic Sensors
can.

Brighter surfaces are easier to detect for

Infrared than dark surfaces, as the sensor
doesn’t detect darker surfaces. Infrared
sensor values normally fluctuate invariant Figure (29), schematic diagram of the infrared sensors
light conditions. working principle

Fields of comparison:

1- Technical properties differences;

Figure (30), a comparison between the optical and the ultrasonic sensors

2- Variation of measurement due to colors variation of obstacles:

Infrared sensors are so susceptible to variations because of different colors while ultrasonic
sensors are negligibly affected by the colors as shown below:

Page | 31
 Figure (31), a comparison between actual value and Figure (32), a comparison between actual value
measured value for ultrasonic sensor. and measured value for ultrasonic sensor.

3- Accuracy of detection: Since IR sensors are highly affected by the sunlight, environmental
factors, and shape as well as texture of the object (which varies the reflection), they are less
accurate in distance measurement

Other solutions already tried

I. Traditional tools

1. Guide dogs:

The guide dog is a "mobility aid" that can enable people

who are blind or have low vision to travel safely. Guide
dogs can guide people around obstacles and through
crowds, stop at curbs and stairs, and sometimes even be
trained to find a limited number of objects that are
within sight when given orders such as "Find the chair,"
or "Find the elevator." Figure (33), an example of the guiding dog

The guide dog user can also train (or "pattern") the dog to find frequently used landmarks, such
as a bus stop pole or a mailbox.

Page | 32
One common disadvantage:

a) People who are blind or have low vision and don't have orientation and mobility (O&M)
travel skills can use a guide dog to travel safely and independently; people mistakenly
assume that it is the dog that shows the person where to go.

b) Another misconception is that guide dogs indicate when it is safe to cross the street. This is
not true. For example, at a traffic signal, the guide dog does not know when the light
changes from green to amber to red. It is the person who determines when it is safe to cross
the street and which way to go; the dog then guides the person across the street to reach the
other side. Although the dog does not know when it is safe to cross the street, if it sees a car
approaching too close, it has been trained to stop or attempt to move the person out of the
way.

c) Cost up to $42,000 to train, limited availability and a usefulness of 6 to 8 years.

2. Normal white cane:

A white cane is a long rod-like device used by

blind or visually impaired travelers to give them
information about the environment they are
traveling through. Using a cane can warn them
of obstacles in their path, tell them of stairs they
are coming to, warn them that they are coming
up to a curb, and tell them of many other things
in the environment that they must deal with.
The cane will also do something else, it will
alert others around them that they are blind, and
this can be very helpful. Many, if not all, states
have laws concerning how drivers must act
Figure (34), a schematic diagram of the white cane
when encountering a person using a white cane

Page | 33
There are three main types of canes;

- Straight cane
- Folding cane
- Telescoping cane

• The main cons of using a cane are:

Figure (35). An example for the folding cane
- It gets stuck in every crack of the pavement.
- If it has a roller tip, the roller gets clogged with leaves/dirt/crap from the floor and gets
jammed.
- After using it for a while, Repetitive strain injury may occur.
- Weather negatively impacts cane travelers. If its windy/raining hard, you can guarantee that
you’ll be all over the place instead of a straight line.
- Range limited to its own size and it is not usable for dynamic obstacles detection neither
than obstacles not located on the floor.

II. Modern Tools

1- ETA: Darshan Navigation system

ETA (Electronic travel aid) a Navigation System for blind people to navigate safely and quickly,
where obstacle detection and recognition are done through ultrasonic sensors and USB camera,
that can detect the obstacles up to 300 cm. A USB webcam is connected with Raspberry Pi
Embedded board which captures the image of the obstacle, which is used for finding the
properties of the obstacle (Human Being).

The system is based on Raspberry Pi a small

computer board, a small (4” x 4”) embedded board
having ARM 11 processor. The ultrasonic sensors are
connected to the board. It feeds the distance data to
the Raspberry Pi.
Figure (36), a schematic diagram of the
Darshan navigation system

Page | 34
A USB webcam is connected with Raspberry Pi for capturing the field of view of the person,
which is used for locating a human being. A headphone is connected with Raspberry Pi to get the
audio feedback (beep sound) of the obstacle distance and presence of human being. The
Raspberry Pi board is powered by 5V, 2A DC adapter. The algorithms are implemented in C
programming language using Open CV library files, which runs on Debian based Linux
environment.

Ultrasonic sensors are used for obstacle detection and calculation of its adaptive distance from
the visually impaired person. Ultrasonic sensors are used in pairs as transceivers. One device
which emits sound waves is called a transmitter and other who receives echo is known as a
receiver. These sensors work on a principle similar to radar or sonar which detects the object
with the help of echoes from sound waves. An algorithm is implemented in C-language on
Raspberry Pi. The time interval between sending the signal and receiving the echo is calculated
to determine the distance to an object. As these sensors use sound waves rather than light for
object detection, so can be comfortably used in ambient outdoor applications.

• For distance calculation following equation is used:

D= [(EPWHT) * (SV)/2] Where,

D = Distance in cm
EPWHT = Echo pulse width high time
SV = Sound velocity in cm/s

• Detection of Human:
The system also uses the USB web camera for human detection and face detection. A HOG
person detector uses a sliding detection window which is moved around the image. At each
position of the detector window, a HOG descriptor is computed for the detection window. To
recognize persons at different scales, the image is subsampled to multiple sizes. Each of these
subsampled images is searched.
• Disadvantages of the system:

The efficiency of the camera to capture clear pictures and to recognize humans and things is
really small compared to other devices.

Page | 35
Also, using headphones was built upon the theory that blind people depend on their hearing
mainly but using headphones is unreliable as it forces the person to listen to the headphones
only, and thus decreasing his connection with the surroundings and in the matter of fact, it
exposes the person to more accidents.

2- BrainPort V100

The BrainPort V100 is an oral electronic vision aid that provides electro-tactile stimulation to aid
profoundly blind patients in orientation, mobility, and object recognition as an adjunctive device
to other assistive methods such as the white cane or a guide dog.
BrainPort V100 translates digital information from a wearable video camera into gentle electrical
stimulation patterns on the surface of the tongue. Users feel moving bubble-like patterns on their
tongue which they learn to interpret as the shape, size, location, and motion of objects in their
environment.
The BrainPort V100 Vision Aid (BrainPort V100, or
BrainPort for short) redirects visual information obtained by
a small, glasses-mounted video camera to a non-implanted
array of 400 electrodes placed on the dorsal surface of the
tongue. The electrode array is arranged in 20 rows of 20
stainless steel electrodes with a diameter of 762 µm that are
spaced 558 µm apart measured from edge-to-edge

The electrode array is embedded in epoxy resin, collectively

referred to as the intra-oral device (IOD), or simply as the
‘lollipop

The electrodes send electrical currents to the surface of the

Figure (37), the BrainPort V100 device
tongue, which is thought to stimulate touch receptors.
Electro-tactile stimulation of the tongue by the BrainPort device is felt as vibrations and have
been described as tingling sensations akin to champagne bubbles.

Visual information is obtained through a glasses-mounted camera that connects to a visual

processor. The video processor spatially averages the gray-scale camera images to 400-pixel
representations and converts them to electrical pulse trains that are sent to the IOD

Page | 36
The BrainPort converts visual images to electro-tactile representations on the surface of the
tongue. The camera image of the coffee cup (left panel) is down-sampled to a 200-pixel
grayscale image (right panel). The grayscales are then converted into their respective stimulus
levels and displayed on the tongue. Bright
areas in the original camera image are
represented as areas of relatively strong
electrical stimulation on the tongue (the
cup); intermediately bright areas are
represented as moderate stimulation (the
table); dark areas as low electrical
stimulation.
Figure (38), working principle of the BrainPort V100

• Disadvantages of the system:

The system requires training of a minimum of 10 hours, spread over a 3-day period, with a
certified instructor over a 12-month period. For a device used by impaired people, it consumes a
lot of time to get used to it. The training is also restricted in very small places which allows a
limited number of people to be able to use it.

3- Project Tacit: sonar for the blind

The system uses two ultrasonic sensors that can detect the
distance of objects between 2-3 cm away. The system is more
like a fingerless rest band, making it easier for the sensor to
detect on a wider range. The sensors receive the signals and
then sends them to an Arduino (microcontroller), which then
gives orders to a servomotor to move, thus alerting the person
of a near obstacle. The whole system is powered by a 9V
Figure (39), schematic diagram of the
battery. tacit project

The servomotor takes the signals of the measured distance and translates that into pressure on the
wrist.

Page | 37
• Disadvantages of the system:
- It is not suitable for precision control of rotation
- It has a high cost
- High error percentage as the motor's rotor
continues to move back and forth giving wrong
pulses.
Figure (40), the design of the Tacit project
4- Sentiri “proximity-sensing headband”

With the use of technology, those who are blind may be able to navigate around their
surroundings. The company Chaotic Moon has developed a proximity-sensing headband that
could help improve the lives of the visually impaired by using haptic feedback to guide the user.

A device called Sentiri, which is a headband that uses infrared depth sensors to detect objects in
the environment uses "haptic language," a non-verbal form of communication, to send vibrations
ranging in intensity to alert the user to avoid an obstacle like a wall or piece of furniture. The
stronger the vibration means the user is nearby an obstacle. It is a 360-degree headband, were the
vibration motors are located beside each sensor, allowing the user to be aware of all the obstacles
around it.

At the heart of the device is an Arduino mega

2560 which sense objects with a few ultrasonic
range finds and then relays the information back
to the user using some vibration motors.

It provides a hands-free experience, without

requiring a UI or touchscreen to navigate.
Figure (41), Sentiri device design

However, the headband can be connected to apps like Google maps to safely guide the blind or
those with poor vision safely to their destination.

Page | 38
 • Disadvantage:

According to the medical health issues, this

system solves a problem and causes another as the
vibration motors around the head have a huge
negative impact on the brain as the vibrations are
directly touching the skin, which might cause in
the long-run brain tumors or other brain or tissue Figure (42), Sentiri device design
malfunctions.

5- Laser Cane:

This is an electronic cane that uses invisible laser beams to detect obstacles, drop-offs and
similar hazards in the surrounding. Once the cane detects the obstacle or drops off using the laser
beams, it will produce a specific audio signal. The cane has three distinct audio signals; each one
indicates a specific distance. The audio signal informs the user of the distance of the obstacle or
the height of the drop-off. A part of the cane’s handle also vibrates when there is an object in
front of the user, the laser
cane is suitable for persons
who are blind or slightly
visually impaired. Figure (43), schematic diagram of the laser cane

The foundation for the laser can is the Cranberg principle of optical triangulation, where the
device emits pulses of infrared light, and a reflection from the object in the path of the light is
detected by photodetectors behind the receiving lens. The cane has a 2 feet-height range and
about 5-12 feet rang in front of the cane.

Disadvantages:

1- High cost
2- Requires a lot of training
3- Affected by the weather and especially the
sunrays. Figure (44), laser cane device

Page | 39
 6- UltraCane:

The UltraCane is an electronic mobility aid for use by

visually impaired people that delivers a "step forward" in
assistive mobility aids.

The UltraCane gives mobility assistance to blind and

partially-sighted people by emitting ultrasonic waves, just
like the echolocation system used by bats and dolphins.
By using an ultrasonic sensor, Ultrasonic waves are emitted
through two transducers on the handle of the UltraCane and
bounce off objects and obstructions in the path of the user.
The UltraCane has two ranges to choose from: a short-
range mode, which detects obstacles within approximately Figure (45), Ultracane device design

6.5 feet of the handle, and a long-range mode, which detects obstacles within 13 feet of the
handle. The upper transducer can locate objects approximately 5 feet from the handle.
Feedback on obstacles is provided through two vibrating buttons located on the handle. These
indicate the proximity of the object, and whether it is low down and in front of the user, or
whether it is at or above head height. This
tactile feedback provides the user with
much more detailed information about
potential dangers ahead than is possible
with a traditional white cane. It is
particularly useful for warning of hazards
at head height.
The UltraCane gives the user more
knowledge about their environment and
enables them to make decisions much more
quickly, thus allowing them to move
around more confidently and effectively. Figure (46), schematic diagram of the range of the ultracane

Page | 40
 • Disadvantages:

The UltraCane is subject to many of the same limitations as that of the laser cane. Being
mechanical, it is more prone to breakage than the standard long cane. being electronic, it still has
many weather-related considerations. For example, wearing gloves in cold weather will present
the user with certain challenges due to decreased sensitivity of the protractile feedback. The
system as well requires a long time of practice and training so that the person can use it safely.

Design Requirements

A solution should have specific parameters and criteria, upon them, it is decided whether the
system can be applied successfully or not. According to the problem discussed and the solution
to be given, these design requirements have been chosen and to be later tested to prove the
efficiency of the system. The design requirements will mainly focus on the efficiency of the system
and they are divided into;

- Sustainable sensing (ultrasonic): The sensor used should have a long-term lifetime, does
not get affected by environmental factors (i.e. sunrays, dust, … etc.), and the emitted waves
can be received easily and quickly. The type of wave should also be reflected easily from the
surfaces of the objects and obstacles.
- Wide detection range and precise response: the type of the sensor used should have a wide
detection range to detect more obstacles and from longer distances. It should be able to detect
small objects as well to guarantee the precision of the detection and the safety of the person
using it.
- Haptic feedback: Equally important to detecting small obstacles is a method for delivering
this information and communicating by sensing to the user in a salient, intuitive, and
discreet manner. The system should have a haptic feedback to alert the user of the obstacles
in his way. It should also be put in an easily-sensed area to give a direct and quick alert.
- Requires no previous training (Easy use): The system must be easily adaptable, and used,
doesn’t require previous training and the person using it must not find any difficulty with the
system. It also shouldn’t require a lot of maintenance or any precautions.

Page | 41
- Low Cost: The system should have a low cost and can be affordable by most of the people as
the majority of the visually impaired and the blind lie within the poor sector of any
population, and most of them also lie in third-world countries (undeveloped countries).

Selection of solution: echolocating glove

The solution chosen is a wristband for the visually impaired, consists of a glove strapped to the
wrist, embedded with ultrasonic sensors, battery, microcontroller and vibrator motors. Along
with being completely reliable, this system also provides to be a cost-effective guidance
mechanism for the visually impaired. The system is designed to scan a wide area with a set of
ultrasonic sensors which also provides a good range and speed in the detection of the obstacle.
The detected obstacle is immediately notified to the possessor thereby the presence of obstacle
along with its direction is conveyed to the visually impaired person by means of a tactile system.
The energy recharging for the system/
is supported by Photovoltaic (PV)
panel, making it more efficient.

A wrist mounted, user-friendly, cost-

effective, compact and low power
consuming model is proposed.

This can provide:

A better coverage area for detection of

obstacles and is affordable.

The user can traverse indoor as well

as outdoor environment with
Figure (47), illustration of the composition of the glove
confidence similar to a person with
vision.

This glove detects the obstacle and alerts the user, while the decision to move in the right
direction is made only by the visually impaired person wearing the glove.

The obstacle detection is made possible up to a range of about 3 m.

Page | 42
The choice of sensor is one of the important factors that decide the efficiency level of the ETA
(Electronic Travelling Aid):

ultrasonic sensors performed up to the satisfying range in less time and hence, it is decided to
proceed with the ultrasonic sensors which proved to be a cost-effective distance measurement
system, the feedback given through microcontroller to the user either in the form of audio or
vibration. The visually impaired depend on the sound of the external environment for safe
navigation. Hence it is better to use tactile feedback by means of the vibration mechanism. The
auditory signal via bone phone can be used as an alternative if required.

The components of the glove are:

1. Vibration Motors

2. Rechargeable Battery

3. Microcontroller

4. Ultrasonic Sensors Figure (48), components of the glove

it is developed for the detection of obstacles present within the angular range of 180o with the
arrangement of three ultrasonic pairs) It provides a coverage of about 135o providing 2 cm – 350
cm non-contact measurement function with a ranging accuracy till 0.3 cm. The module includes
an ultrasonic transmitter, receiver and control circuit.

1. Arduino pro-mini:

The microcontroller used for the electronic circuit is an Arduino Pro-mini.

This board was developed for applications and installations where space is
premium, and projects are made as permanent set ups. Compared to the
normal Arduino Uno, the size of the Arduino pro-mini is more efficient as
the system is built to be worn as a wrist-band and the smaller the better.
Figure (49),
2. Ultrasonic Sensor: Arduino pro-mini

From the previous solutions mentioned, the best sensor to use was the ultrasonic sensor.

Page | 43
The two main factors that determined the type of sensor chosen
for obstacle detection were price and robustness. Laser range
sensors are excellent in acquiring accurate distance data, but their
high cost outweighed their benefit. On the other hand, infrared
emitter-detector pairs are inexpensive, but they are typically
Figure (50), ultrasonic sensor
unreliable, especially outdoors. Ultrasonic range sensors proved to
be a good compromise between cost and functionality.

The obstacle detection part of the system

contains two ultrasonic transmitters-receivers.
It uses an ultrasonic signal to acquire
information and can detect the presence of any
obstacle within the specified measurement
range of approximately 0.03 to 3 meters. It
operates by sending out a pulse of ultrasound. Figure (51), illustration of the working principle of the
Eventually, the pulse is reflected from a solid ultrasonic sensor

object in the path of the pulse. The time between the outgoing pulse being transmitted and its
echo being received corresponds to the distance between the transmitter and the object or the
obstacle.

Properties of an ultrasonic sensor;

Compared to optical sensors, the Detection is unaffected by target materials/colors, it’s

unaffected by water/dust and it has a wider measuring range.

With the help of this high-level duration, the distance (D) can be calculated for the range
between 2 cm and 4.5 m using the following expression:

𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 (𝝀) × 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 (𝒕)

𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 =
𝟐
The measured distance is proportional to the echo pulse width and the test performance shows 45
angle coverage, with the best coverage in 30o angle

Page | 44
3. Vibration motor:

The concept of the vibration system used in the proposed system is that
of the mobile phone when used in vibration mode. The sense of touch
has proved to be the best feedback system to warn the visually impaired
person. A flat coin type coreless vibration motor is used due to its fast
response, low operating voltage range (between 2.7V and 3.3V), high
speed at the rate of 12000 rpm, long lifetime and high performance for
Figure (52), vibration motor
a silent paging.

If the user feels a vibration on its right it means that the obstacle is to his right and vice versa. If
the vibration is on both sides the obstacle is in front of him. An increase of distance to an
obstacle results in a decrease in vibration, while a decrease of distance results in an increase in
vibration.

Properties of the vibration motors;

Vibration motors have the benefit of being easy to implement and are low cost, whilst
dramatically augmenting how
devices interact with users. One of
their obvious benefits; a small
vibration motor can be integrated into
a design so that equipment operators
and users can rely on the sense of
touch, no longer requiring line of
sight or high volumes, and unlike the
servomotors and others, the
vibrations are easily sensed.
Figure (53), illustrates how the frequency of the motor (vibrations) increase
4. Rechargeable battery and PV as the distance decreases
charging:

A rechargeable battery was used for the purpose of efficient charging during the day with
photovoltaic (PV) solar panel.

Page | 45
Because of its non-toxicity, safety, customizability, small size, and easily recharged with high
capacity, we chose metal hydride battery, specifically Nickel Metal Hydride 9V 300 mAh
rechargeable battery.

In addition to easy usage with no need to

complicated wired charges, the panel was enhanced
through Nano-titanium dioxide TiO2 coating for
extra efficiency by self-cleaning of the panel
because the accumulation of dust might decrease its
working efficiency. Figure (54), working mechanism of the
titanium dioxide
5. Nano-titanium dioxide coating:

The suspension of nanoparticles, upon drying, leads to the deposition of a very thin layer of the
TiO2 This thin amorphous mineral film deposition is extremely difficult to remove, as the
bonding mechanism is essentially electrochemical. Its adhesion has been measured at 4B to 5B
(4B = less than 5% is removed after aggressive removal efforts; 5B = none is removed). It is
resistant to damage from most acids, bases, and physical abrasion. In fact, only the use of a
strong ammonia solution and strong physical abrasion has been shown to damage or remove it.

Working principle:

• Photocatalysis;

Photo-Catalysis is defined as "acceleration by the presence of a catalyst". A catalyst does not

change itself or is consumed in the chemical reaction. This definition includes photosensitization,
a process by which a photochemical alteration occurs in one molecular entity as a result of initial
absorption of radiation by another molecular entity called the photosensitized.

When photocatalyst titanium dioxide (TiO2) absorbs Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or
illuminated light source (fluorescent lamps), it will produce pairs of electrons and holes. The
electron of the valence band of titanium dioxide becomes excited when illuminated by light. The
excess energy of this excited electron promoted the electron to the conduction band of titanium
dioxide, therefore, creating the negative-electron (e-) and positive-hole (h+) pair.

Page | 46
This stage is referred as the semiconductor's ' photo-excitation ' state. The energy difference
between the valence band and the conduction band is known as the ' Band Gap '.

• Application:

Once the film has been properly applied and cured (note: reaching a full cure and maximum
hardness can take a week) and in the presence of the minimum level of sufficient UV light
energy, the active form of TiO2creates positive and negative cells that, in the presence of oxygen
and water vapor, split the water and form
the very strong oxidizing agent’s
hydroxyl and oxygen radicals. Anything
oxidizable that is also in contact with the
coating, particularly if adsorbed on the
coating, will be oxidized. As this reaction
continues, even fairly complex organic or
inorganic species will continue to be
oxidized to their simplest form, such as
carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
dioxide, etc. Figure (55) illustrates the photocatalysis mechanism and
properties
The TiO2 meets the truest definition of a
catalyst during this process, as it remains unchanged and unaffected while this oxidant-producing
reaction progresses. The oxidizing species created by this process are some of the strongest
known to man, but they exist only for nanoseconds and only at, and within, the very surface of
the TiO2 film where they are produced, whereupon they will encounter something oxidizable
and immediately react. The self-cleaning and bio-film removing properties of this surface
eventuate as the oxidized species leave as gasses, or reach a point where dislodging them with a
simple wash is easily affected, making use of the super-hydrophilicity property described next.
In less technical terms, the coating in the presence of some level of UV light energy is self-
cleaning.

Page | 47
Figure (56)

Super hydrophilicity:

This is the description given to the phenomena shown by water on surfaces coated with the
“activated” photocatalytic TiO2film. Water tends to bead when it encounters most surfaces. This
beading is a combination of the surface tension of the water itself and the relative polarity of the
water versus the polarity of the surface with which it is in contact. Surfactants are added to water
to change this surface tension—the basic chemistry of soap. A wetting agent is commonly added
to a water-based solution (coatings, cleaners, etc.) to decrease the beading phenomena, and allow
sheeting or complete wetting of the surface.

A manner of quantifying this phenomenon is to measure the angle created by the water droplet to
the surface it contacts. Imagine water droplets on a freshly washed and waxed car hood. The
angle created by the water droplet and the surface will be fairly large, sometimes approaching
90°. If this surface is treated with the photocatalytic TiO2film, the angle does not initially
change. However, once the surface has received some UV light energy and becomes activated,
the angle changes rapidly and approaches zero, and the water does not form a droplet but rather
sheets, or forms a very thin film, and runs off.

This phenomenon enhances the self-cleaning nature of the surface and leads to some interesting
fog-, frost- and mist-proof properties. It also emphasizes the importance of making sure any
surface treated with the photocatalytic TiO2 film is “water-sealed” or it will endeavor to take on
water.

Page | 48
For surfaces where this is of concern, the use of the rutile form of the TiO2 coating system (the
primer) will provide this necessary function, along with protecting the surface from being
damaged by the oxidizing nature of the anatase or more photo-catalytically active form of the
coating. The surface will remain activated in the absence of any UV light energy for 2 to 5 hours,
depending on the surface, amount of activation, etc.

Figure (57) compares the surfaces coated and uncoated with titanium dioxide

Low reflectivity:

Figure (59) also shows the change in transmittance and

reflectance before and after coating with titanium dioxide

Figure (58) compares the surfaces that are coated

and uncoated with titanium dioxide when it
comes to transmittance and power generation

Figure (60) shows the change in light reflection

by coating thickness before and after coating Figure (61) sums up the differences between
with titanium dioxide a coated and an uncoated panel with TiO2

Page | 49
 Selection of prototype

For prototype construction specific design requirements were chosen to be applied to be later
tested:

1) No previous training

The device should be easy to use and requires no previous training nor practice sessions for the
user.

From users; feedback and duration of course completion the system will determine if it requires
previous training and cannot be easily used or not.

2) Sustainable sensing

The ultrasonic sensors used are reliable and can detect glass or liquid surface and different and
complex shapes of objects such as mesh trays or springs. In addition to stable detection outdoors
and to not be affected by environmental factors such as sun rays.

The system will be tested both outdoors and indoors to prove detection stability, with different
shapes and sorts of obstacles for system reliability.

3) Strong haptic feedback

Strong haptic feedback through vibration motors is required, to be able to alert the users about
obstacle distance and orientation.

*feedback will be taken from different users, who the system will be tested on, to for
determining the strength of the vibration and how the frequency of that vibration will differ with
distances, and orientation (right or left).

4) Wide detection range

A 180-degree range of detection is favorable for optimum place coverage in order to increase
bumps avoidance rates.

*avoidance rate will be calculated after testing through wide distribution of objects to estimate
the efficiency of the device.
Page | 50
 Materials and Methods

First, Materials:

- Electronic materials: All the materials were bought from El-Nekheily mall for electronics
and RAM electronics from El-Tahrir Square.

Material Price
Arduino Pro-mini LE 85.00
2 ultrasonic sensor LE 70.80
2 Vibration motor (coin) LE 56.00
Battery 9V LE 15.00
FTDI LE 85.00
Breadboard LE 20.00
Jumpers LE 37.00
Resistance LE 1.00
Transistors NPN LE 1.00
PV Cell (6 V, 1.5 W) LE 80.00
Fabric LE 50.00
Table (3) shows the prices and the materials used for the prototype.

Figure (62), Arduino Figure (63), FTDI Figure (64), ultrasonic Figure (65), Breadboard
sensor

Figure (66) Figure (67) Figure (68) Figure (69)

Battery 9V Vibration motor Transistors and diodes Jumpers

Page | 51
- Nano-zinc oxide preparation (coating):
The materials were all bought and used from
the school chemistry lab.
- Materials: 2.97 grams of Zinc Nitrate
Hexahydrate (Zn(NO3)2.6H2O), 200 ml of
distilled water, 0.8 grams NaOH, 0.5 grams
of soluble starch, magnetic stirrer, dropper,
Figure (70), materials used to prepare (i.e. soluble
beaker, glass rod and a Blow-dryer. starch, zinc nitrate and sodium hydroxide)

Second, methods:

1. Circuit:

The Trigger pins of both sensors were connected to Arduino’s 2 and 4 pins. The Echo pins were
connected to 3 and 5 pins on Arduino. The VCCs and GNDs were wired to the corresponding
BUS positive and negative. Both vibration motors involved their own circuits containing the
NPN transistors, diodes, and the resistors.

Figure (71), schematic diagram of the glove's circuit

Page | 52
 2. Housing:
The system was fixed on a hand support
and covered with a strong fabric from the
top to protect it. On the lower (palm-
facing) side of the support, a small thin
fabric was added (like a small pocket)
where the vibration motors will be added
to ensure the sensitivity.
Figure (72), illustration of the prototype construction
3. Preparation of Nano-zinc oxide:
The method used was a wet chemical method using zinc nitrate
precursor, sodium hydroxide solution and soluble starch as
stabilizing agent:

- 0.1 %( w/v) soluble starch solution is made in 100 ml of distilled

water with the soluble starch.
- 0.2 molar NaOH solution was prepared by adding 0.8 grams to
100 ml of distilled water and stirred till completely dissolved.
- Zinc nitrate was added to the starch solution. Then the solution Figure (73), preparation of
the zinc-oxide
was kept under constant rigorous stirring using a magnetic stirrer
to completely dissolve the zinc nitrate for 1 hour.
- Then the sodium hydroxide solution was added drop by drop touching the walls of the vessel.
- The reaction was allowed to proceed for 2 hours, yielding a colloidal suspension.

4. Battery connection:
When charging NiMH Rechargeable batteries, the highest amount of power you can throw at
them is 10% of their capacity. Since the battery to be used is 9 V 300 mAh of capacity, then the
input from the solar cell must be 30 mAh. The reason we use a blocking diode is to prevent the
solar panels from trying to suck power back out of the batteries at night. Without the blocking
diode, we'd end up with damaged cells and dead batteries.

Page | 53
We wrapped the positive (red) wire from the battery connector to the black striped side
(negative) of the diode. It's important that you connect the battery connector to the BLACK
STRIP side of the diode otherwise you'll end up blocking power coming from the solar cells.

Then we soldered the negative of the diode to the battery wires, then soldered the positive side of
the diode to the negative point in the solar cell.

5. PV Coating:
The dispersion was sprayed over the cell then, the blow dryer was passed over the cell from a
proper distance till it dried out.

The PV cell could be connected to the charger and removed when needed (portable).
• Safety precautions;
The circuit was tested first to check the wiring and coding and to ensure there was no threat of
being exposed to electric shocks. As for preparing the Nano-zinc oxide, chemistry lab
precautions where followed; wearing gloves, making sure of the accuracy and precision of the
quantities used and calculating the error.

Test Plan

The design requirements chosen to be tested are; no previous experience, sustainable sensing, a
wide range of detection and a strong feedback. The steps are as follow:

1. Once it works, the detection range and the sustainable sensing are tested by two users
through two trials, one indoors and one outdoors by the glove and then the results are
compared to previous results of a cane to prove which is more efficient through the
avoidance rate (%) and if it got affected by environmental factors (indoor vs outdoors).

2. The avoidance rate is calculated by dividing the number of obstacles avoided by the users by
the total number of obstacles and then multiplied by 100 to get the percentage.

3. The time of the trial is also calculated from the trials of the glove to prove that the system is
easy to use and doesn’t require any previous training.

Page | 54
4. Feedback is to be taken from the users to assess how the variation of the vibration motor’s
frequency helped them, and how strong they were.

Data Collection

The echolocating glove testing was done

Avoidance rate (%)
through different trails (i.e. indoor and
95%
outdoor) with different obstacle 94%
distribution in every trial by two users. The 93%
92%
following data were compared to cane
91% 94%
results to prove the efficiency as well. The 90% 92%
91%
results of testing the wide detection range, 89% 90%
88%
the sustainable sensing, the haptic Indoor Outdoor

feedback and previous training are; User 1 User 2

The trial duration of the glove was less Figure (74), avoidance rate graph

than that of the cane, as the cane can sense

the obstacles when it bumps in them while
Trial duration (sec)
100
the glove detects from a distant and alerts
80
the subject. The Percentage of avoidance
Time/Sec

60
and the detection range didn’t differ much
40 83 78
between the indoor and the outdoor trial for
50 47
20
the glove. As compared to the cane, the
0
glove provides a much better navigation Indoor Outdoor
than the cane as it can get stuck in the mud User 1 User 2
(outdoor), losing the accuracy of the
Figure (75), Trail duration graph
detection and blocking the way of the user.

▪ Feedback: The duration of the trials of the glove where short compared to the cane. The two
users also agreed that the haptic feedback is strong through the strong vibrations and that if
there is an obstacle on right, the right motor vibrates and the same applies to the left.

Page | 55
▪ PV Coating: As for the PV and the coating addition, its voltage was measured before and
after the coating, and it didn’t affect the efficiency of the PV at all. As for the self-cleaning,
the PV was monitored for a while and it works perfectly.

Discussion

The device proved to be successful and met the design requirements, as the detection range is
able to reach up to 3 meters with a very high avoidance percentage (~ 92.5%). Feedback from the
users demonstrated that the device was simple and requires no training to use.

The users also verified that the haptic feedback is strong: the motors vibrate according to the
obstacles on each of their sides and the vibrations variation were very assistive in their alert. The
sensors could detect low and high objects equally. This is a virtue our device has over the normal
cane which depends principally on contact increasing accidents possibility and can reach up to
only a limited coverage. Additionally, comparing with servomotors which have weak haptic
effect plus bulkiness, the coins motors made the system lighter, enabling free mobility. Also, the
system is not affected by environmental conditions.

Furthermore, completing the system with a solar cell for

battery recharging helps the user to avoid critical situations
of an empty battery or lost charger. Coating the PV for self-
cleaning confirmed no effect on the voltage and increased the
efficiency of the panel. It’s an integrated system which could
assist the patients in the long run and reliable enough to aid
in their health consequences.

1. Wide detection range

The wide range of the ultrasonic waves increases the

percentage of obstacles avoidance in both outdoor and indoor
trials. The angled assembly of the sensors gave a circular
cover of the whole area in front of the user. While the cane Figures (76, 77) shows examples
taken from the readings of the
gave a cover of no more than 1 meter. distances measured during the
tests ranging from 4 cm to 4 m

Page | 56
2. Strong haptic feedback

Using two-coin vibration motors, for both directions right and left, receive orders from the
sensors oriented respectively. The testing users could differentiate between the directions and
avoid obstacles in each. They also reported a noticeable change in vibration intensity when
approaching obstacles. The only difference between the cane and the device duration times is
that cane users depend on contacting the obstacle (giving 2.5% avoidance rate), while the device
defines them from a distance (~93%) Haptic feedback was preferred than audible one because
visually impaired individuals strongly rely on their sense of hearing to be aware of their
environment, adding auditory cues for obstacles could mask auditory alerts.

3. Sustainable sensing

The sensor showed reliable sensing since ultrasonic waves stably detect glass or liquid surfaces.
Even transparent targets and complex targets such as mesh trays or springs can be detected. The
outdoor trials were equally efficient to the indoor and not affected by dust or dirt accumulation.

4. No previous training

From users’ feedback, the system is easy to use and adapt. The trial durations differed from each
other by a matter of few seconds (3-5), assuring almost no time is needed to train on it. The cane
showed less time but more bumps, while the glove showed the fewest.

Cane Glove

Minimum avoidance rate 5% 90%

Maximum avoidance rate 10% 94%

Average avoidance rate 7.5% 92%

Minimum time 26 secs 47 secs

Maximum time 77 secs 83 secs

Average time 51.5 secs 88.5 secs

Table (4) shows the combined average data from the two users of cane and glove.

Page | 57
 Recommendation

1. Talking Voltmeter:

For a blind person, it would be a big problem if the battery

dies out, and a bigger one if it’s while outdoor use. For the
user to totally trust and use the device without any fear, a
voltmeter with a speech output is recommended and
through a special circuit; the device will be able to alarm
the person of the remaining voltage of the battery and
when to change or recharge it. The speaking measurement
Figure (78), talking voltmeter
system will provide an auditory alternative to a visual
meter.

General idea:

The microcontroller is the main part of the system where all the coding will be done. To transfer
the readings of the voltmeter to voice; firstly, a digital to analog converter (DAC) is used to
change the type of the signals. Then, a speech control thread is used to convert the signals of the
text to speech signals, and finally, a voice thread is used to produce a voice output.

2. GPS navigator

To help the visually impaired navigate in an area more easily, and without asking for the road, a
GPS navigator is used. It verbally announces names of streets, intersections, and landmarks as
you walk. The device also can record the routes the visually impaired take and their steps,
making it much easier for them to navigate in the same place again by simply re-telling the steps
and directions he made last time.

The problem with the two systems is with the bulkiness as the weight of the device would
increase and make it more difficult to use the device.

Page | 58
 Learning transfer

1. Chemistry: L.O. 3.01:

Qualitative and quantitative analysis are very helpful through any projects whether related to
chemistry or not. The more related concept is quantitative as it focuses on the inputs and outputs
of the system in numbers and quantities. That helped through the calculations of the output data,
the distances measured, the avoidance rate and the trail durations as we needed to calculate all of
that to prove the success of our system.

2. Chemistry: L.O. 3.07;

Using stoichiometry formulas, relations and rules helped us in Nano-zinc oxide preparation,
through units and quantities conversions. and to assure the accuracy and precision of the
calculated amounts, the following rule was used;

𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔
𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔 =
𝑴𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒔

3. Physics; L.O. 3.01:

Studying refraction and reflection helped us understand the general idea of the system (ultrasonic
waves detected when reflected off objects). The first law of reflection “angle of reflection =
angle of incidence” helped in understanding the detection range and the working mechanism o
the sensor.

4. Physics L.O. 3.04:

The study of wave types and properties helped understand the ultrasonic waves properly and
studying the wave parameter (i.e. speed, frequency, … etc.) helped us through the methods of
building the prototype, applying the test plan and finding the results through the following
mentioned rules:

𝑾𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 (𝒗) = 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉 (𝝀) × 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 (𝒇)

𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒅 (𝝀) × 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 (𝒕)

𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 =
𝟐

Page | 59
 • Earth Science L.O 3.02; (GPS)

Global Positioning System consists of 24 satellites which orbit at height of 20,000km. A target
composed of steel spikes pounded into the ground and located in solid rock is used in order to
monitor the movement of earth plates with receivers mounted on a tripod positioned directly
above the target. A high precision GPS receiver at the station on earth uses the signals from
satellites to calculate the location of the earth.

5. Biology L.O. 3.02;

Understanding how communication occurs inside our bodies through electrical and chemical
signals between neurons, and how the structure of a neuron adapts its function to help in
complete signal transmission with least losses, helps in understanding circuits connections which
are mainly based on neurons connections and plasticity.

References

(n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2017, from https://store.arduino.cc/usa/arduino-pro-mini

(n.d.). Retrieved November 19, 2017, from https://www.arduino.cc/en/Products/Compare

P. (2016, November 22). About Us. Retrieved October 20, 2017, from

https://ph7sheffield.wordpress.com/2016/11/23/what-if-we-eradicate-all-disease/

Wolchover, N. (2012, June 08). What If We Eradicated All Infectious Disease? Retrieved

October 20, 2017, from https://www.livescience.com/20860-eradicated-infectious-

disease.html

Page | 60
Electronic Mobility Devices for Persons Who are Blind or Visually Impaired. (n.d.).

Retrieved October 20, 2017, from http://evengrounds.com/blog/electronic-mobility-devices-

for-persons-who-are-blind-or-visually-impaired

UltraCane Electronic Mobility Aid. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2017, from

http://www.lssproducts.com/product/UltraCane-Electronic-Mobility-Aid/other-canes-and-

accessories

Foundations of Orientation and Mobility. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2017, from

https://books.google.com.eg/books?id=nYENqA5LZKUC&pg=PA256&lpg=PA256&dq=li

mitations%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bultracane&source=bl&ots=I3RPgW5COD&sig=kz-

nwZJ6r2VIOiZqeK9ue8dOcEg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD3-

azu67XAhWGOxoKHVlDCE8Q6AEIPTAD#v=onepage&q&f=false

Dog Guides for People with Vision Loss. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2017, from

http://www.visionaware.org/info/everyday-living/essential-skills/an-introduction-to-

orientation-and-mobility-skills/dog-guides-for-people-with-vision-loss/1234

(n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2017, from http://www.howellmobility.com/basics.html

(n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2017, from https://www.wicab.com/brainport-v100-

technology

(n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2017, from https://www.wicab.com/brainport-v100

Coldewey, D. (2011, August 19). Cane 2.0: The Tacit Is Hand-Mounted Sonar For The

Vision Impaired. Retrieved November 1, 2017, from

Page | 61
https://techcrunch.com/2011/08/19/cane-2-0-the-tacit-is-hand-mounted-sonar-for-the-

vision-impaired/

Visual task performance in the blind with the BrainPort V100 Vision Aid. (n.d.). Retrieved

November 1, 2017, from

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17434440.2016.1237287?scroll=top&needAcce

ss=true&

Times, T. (2015, November 20). This Proximity-Sensing Headband Uses Haptic Feedback

To Guide The Blind. Retrieved November 1, 2017, from

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/109050/20151120/proximity-sensing-headband-uses-

haptic-feedback-guide-blind.htm

This Proximity-Sensing Headband Uses Haptic Feedback To Guide The Blind. (2015,

November 20). Retrieved November 17, 2017, from https://monctonlife.com/2015/11/this-

proximity-sensing-headband-uses-haptic-feedback-to-guide-the-blind.html

The top 10 causes of death. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2017, from

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/

Scarpelli, D. G., & Burrows, W. (2017, November 22). Disease. Retrieved October 20, 2017,

from https://www.britannica.com/science/disease

Egypt Population 2017. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2017, from

http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/egypt-population/

O. (n.d.). Social Security. Retrieved October 19, 2017, from

https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm

Page | 62
(n.d.). Retrieved October 19, 2017, from

http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2016/en#/II

Vision impairment and blindness. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2017, from

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/

Battery Types. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2017, from

https://www.batterysolutions.com/recycling-information/battery-types/

Common Types and Characteristics of Visual Impairments. (2012, July 12). Retrieved

October 21, 2017, from http://www.brighthubeducation.com/special-ed-visual-

impairments/35103-common-types-of-visual-impairment-in-students/

Types of Vision Loss « Vision Loss. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2017, from

http://visionloss.org.au/types-of-vision-loss/

Mandal, M. D. (2012, June 27). Causes of visual impairment. Retrieved October 21, 2017,

from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Causes-of-visual-impairment.aspx

Page | 63