Dear Rony,
The main hurdle in this concept is to develop a proper radio system >that has directional accuracy without being too expensive for the >comman man.
The idea is excellent. I have done various electronics projects(8051 based). Also, I have enough knowledge of Radio frequency. I need somebody's assistance to get started with the project.
Rgds, Hemendra Jain
Team Work leads to success.
On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 Rony wrote :
Hello All,
While we are on to discussing new ideas, this is a concept that I thought of during my daily traveling. I am mostly on field and travel a lot in public transport. I have observed that visually impaired persons usually have a problem with directions and it is more complex when it comes to making choices in different directions. Now that we have the honor of having an extremely talented person like Mr. Mane on our list, he too can give feedback on this.
The normal method is to use beeping sounds near signals and crossings. However, our road networks are complex and require more complex sign aids. The problem is compounded when making a choice at a junction of many roads, not knowing which road leads to what place.
This can be resolved by having radio beepers at all road points and each beeper having its own data repeatedly broadcast. To differentiate between each post and its data, the user has a handheld unidirectional radio receiver that has a mini parabolic dish antenna. The user first turns the receiver around and gets beeps for every radio post detected. As the device is pointed, its sound is the loudest when pointing straight to it. Then with the flick of a switch, he hears the data through a earphone. It tells him where he is located and where the direction he points to, is leading to with actual road names too. Its like a guide explaining different directions. So while the radio post is omni directional, the receiver is uni directional.
Shops and restaurants too can use these radio posts to guide people to their shops and advertise their merchandise. I say, this system can be used even by sighted people who need help in directions, as big junctions have long distances across and looking across signboards can be difficult with buses and other traffic blocking the view. Tourists will find this a very handy live city guide.
The main hurdle in this concept is to develop a proper radio system that has directional accuracy without being too expensive for the comman man.
Regards,
Rony.
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On Wed, 2006-08-30 at 11:35 +0000, hemendra jain wrote:
Dear Rony,
The main hurdle in this concept is to develop a proper radio system that has directional accuracy without being too expensive for the comman man.
<snip/>
I am not an expert but.... Wouldn't it be logistically simpler to work with GPS? Car based receivers seem to be able to locate, direct and speak. The only hurdle then is to have good map data which any such system would require in any case.
-gabin
On Thu, 2006-08-31 at 20:08 +0530, Rony wrote:
This system would be a local setup and need not be linked to a map. GPS may not give information of foot bridges, subways and other local structures.
Your setup may be local and you may choose to manually configure each of the many transmitters at each location but you'll still need a good map somewhere that will ensure that the information being sent out is actually accurate.
GPS should give you any information that is available on the map.
-gabin
hello, first of all warm regards to roni. I am so glad to know that you have concern for visually handicap people. and as some one commented on this thread that I am extremely tallented, well, im just an ordinary kernel hacker and a programmer like many of you. nothing extra ordinary about me. all I try to do is to help others. now not waisting the email space, to the point *smile* Mr. Roni and Himendra Jain, as the list knows I have already been working on embedded technologies and particularly for blind community. this project is a social brilliance. I claim that this will be a success and one part of the dreem of his exelency Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam of making India a developed nation. now the two major aspects of this project are firstly the mind set and the conceptualisation of the blind people. from my own experience as a blind person, I can say that we first need to understand how a blind person forms a mentel picture of any thing around him. this includes the area around him. we need to know how and what kind of verbal communication will guide him accurately. although off the topic I will give you one example. being blind I climb mountains along with sited people. and there is a particular protocol in which I tought my friends to direct me. some similar kind of research needs to be done to understand how blind people coordinate visual objects and their relative placements with the help of speach. for example when I listen to cricket commentary on radio, I find it easy to even understand the field placement of the balling team. second is how we adopt the technology to this. one major aspect is that mobile phones can be used. yes that is ture but remember a blind person already carries soem thing else with him, his walking stick. we can have the unit attached to the stick itself. and talking about add-ons again some brillient person smartly pointed out on this thread that even it is useful for sited people. it is absolutely the right idea and will give further waitage to the project. I will be meeting our vice chief minister R.R. Patil today. and I also have a meeting with Dr. Nagarjuna. I am going to put this matter across to who ever is ready to provide resources including but not limited to funds. Mr. Roni and Mr. Jain, Please awaite my private emails because there are some things I will like to talk off the list. thanking all. Krishnakant.
hemendra jain wrote:
Dear Rony,
The main hurdle in this concept is to develop a proper radio system >that has directional accuracy without being too expensive for the >comman man.
The idea is excellent. I have done various electronics projects(8051 based). Also, I have enough knowledge of Radio frequency. I need somebody's assistance to get started with the project.
Nowadays wireless device frequencies are in GHz. so that should be ideal to build a mini pocket size parabolic antenna for directional reception. What type of assistance are you looking at?
Regards,
Rony.
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Gabin Kattukaran wrote:
On Wed, 2006-08-30 at 11:35 +0000, hemendra jain wrote:
Dear Rony,
The main hurdle in this concept is to develop a proper radio system that has directional accuracy without being too expensive for the comman man.
<snip/>
I am not an expert but.... Wouldn't it be logistically simpler to work with GPS? Car based receivers seem to be able to locate, direct and speak. The only hurdle then is to have good map data which any such system would require in any case.
This system would be a local setup and need not be linked to a map. GPS may not give information of foot bridges, subways and other local structures.
Regards,
Rony.
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Gabin Kattukaran -
hemendra jain -
krishnakant Mane -
Rony