Inspiration
Tools evolve, whether to improve security, increase ergonomics, or become more efficient. When the walking cane’s color was changed from black to white, safety increased as the canes became more visible to motorists as users crossed the street. However, many flaws of the white cane, including limited detection and obtrusiveness, have yet to be addressed. This is where the Wireless Walker gets the spotlight.
What it does
Wireless Walker answers the problem of detection being limited to touch by sensing the distance to obstacles. Additionally, the device never needs to touch the floor, eliminating the possibility of the cane jamming into crevices. The user will be aided by audio directions from a mobile application paired with the cane.
How we built it
From the beginning, our team wished to leverage our skills with Arduino microcontrollers and their associated sensors. Understanding that, using data collection with said sensors was a major priority of the team even before considering the idea of the ultrasonic sensor walking stick. As SpartaHacks began, we discussed our options as a team before rushing to the hardware room as it became clear the demand of our project would require more parts, and in particular certain specific parts (such as the ultrasonic sensor and a functioning servo) than many other Hacks.
We then split up into a few sub-groups, each focusing on a particular task such as having the ultrasonic sensor function, the servo the sensor would be mounted on spin, and operating communications between the front and back-ends of the product.
Challenges we ran into
The fun of a hackathon is making the most innovative products out of limited availability of materials. We found this out the hard way, after entering the competition with ambitious plans, we had to adapt to what we had. This might mean using an umbrella instead of a cane stick, or innovating to make the device work with a single ultrasonic sensor when initial plans required two.
On the hardware side of things, we constantly had to rework our plans depending on what components we had on hand. From resistors to capacitors, Bluetooth Modules to ultrasonic sensors, we were constantly running back and forth from the hardware room in building our ideal product. Software-wise, the Bluetooth Low Energy module we used gave us issues as we sought to effectively connect our sensory data to our app. It was the greatest problem we faced as we struggled to consistently interpret ultrasonic data and translate it into a particular strength of signal sent through an Arduino controller.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
In putting together the main components of our product, our ingenuity in using all of our available resources was both a point of pride and a constant source of fun. We weren’t able to 3D print a container, so we cut up a tissue paper box. We were missing a charger for our battery, so we took apart a phone charger. We didn’t have access to PVC, so we checked out an umbrella from the hardware room.
While building the main sensory component, our team was also able to devote time to building a data visualization program. In seeing a gradient of relative distances, we were both able to confirm the efficacy of our ultrasonic sensor and lay the groundwork for greater data collection and analysis. The information we gained, though unrefined, show patterns of movement and surfaces, and offer the team a chance to go beyond building a tool for those today, but prepare to create solutions that will help generations to come.
What we learned
The complete process of innovating our product was challenging, especially with the limited time and resources we had. In general, we learned how to specialize and individually take on components of the entire process. Additionally, we became more skillful at using limited resources to create the best product.
Some specific skills we learned included using Arduino to connect electrical components and devices to the code we wrote in Arduino IDE. Additionally, when the sensors were not working properly, we learned to check their values and make sure that they aligned with our expectations. For example, when the values from the ultrasonic sensor did not make sense, we were able to create a heatmap of the distances for each rotational value of servo and gyro.
What's next for Wireless Walker
The first prototype is promising, but there is always room for improvement. Even after spending so many hours, it feels as if only For the hardware, more work will need to be dedicated towards a better microprocessor, more accurate ultrasonic sensor, and a better circuit layout. In regards to the software, work can be done in the mobile and Java-based User Interface (UI). With more time and materials, the UI will be molded to the needs of a visually impaired person.
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