In this work, a cloud-‐based navigation system architecture for visually impaired has been proposed. The system utilizes external GPS receiver, an android smartphone and a server to perform all the computations.
The system provides assistance in crossing roads; it notifies a user when they are approaching Zebra crossing and after that provides information about traffic light status.
The important part is information about traffic light status is dynamic and every status change could be predicted. Moreover, the system provides assistance in searching and guiding to benches within a short area from the user.
In order to improve location accuracy, the RTKLib open source library has been tested together with a low-‐cost GPS chip and low-‐cost GPS antenna. The tests showed that in order to get more frequent “FIX” solutions, a better and more expensive antenna should be used. With the low-‐cost antenna used in the project “FIX” solutions have accuracy within 0,5 – 1 meter (which gives ~90-‐95% of improvement comparing to initial 10 meters of accuracy) and “FLOAT” solutions provides accuracy within 1,5 -‐ 2,5 meters (~75%-‐85% of improvement).
The following table summarizes information about the navigation system proposed in [2]
and the navigation system proposed in this work:
Table 5 -‐ Comparison of [2] system and proposed in this thesis system System GPS Location Traffic Lights
Delivery time
The future work on the proposed navigation system will include further improvements in the following areas:
-‐ Further research on GPS location improvements will include:
o Integration of low-‐cost L1 reference base station instead of using commercial e-‐GPS service;
o Further RTKLib evaluation together with a better GPS antenna and L1 reference station
-‐ Currently, traffic light status information (status and location) is simulated for testing purposes. Future work will include the preparation of a real traffic light database for pedestrians for a specific location. This will allow performing more tests in the real environment.
-‐ Introduce another useful POI types in the system and provide tests scenarios. As the logic of POI types has been implemented in the system, and Points and Polygons can be currently processed, the additional type of POI can be easy integrated into the system to extend its usability and effectiveness.
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