Android based intelligent walking stick for visually impairedpeopleSoftware GoogleAndroid Android is a software stack and mobileoperating system that includes the operating system for portable devices,middleware, user interface. Android developers were able to write applicationsin the Java language, a runtime library that can run the compiled byte codeJava Runtime Library. In addition to this, it provides the required applicationthrough the Android Software Development Kit SDK to develop a variety of toolsand APIs. Android works on the Linux kernel and the Android system uses C / C ++ libraries.
are included. Android, unlike existing Java virtual machines, usesa Java application made of Virtual machine that runs on a separate process. In2005, Google acquired Android. and in November, 2007 Google announced to freelyopen Android platform to the public. After the advertise, 48 differenthardware, software, and communication companies collaborated to design OpenHandset Alliance, OHA and it has been developing an open-to-public standard.Google distributed all source code of Android as Apache v2 license so thatcompanies or users can independently develop Android program.
In theseconstruction components, it is divided into a total of 5 classes ofapplication, library, Android runtime,application framework, and Linux kernel. Handset layout platform is adaptive toexpand 3D graphic library based on OpenGL ES1.0, VGA, and 2D graphic library,and it uses SQLite database software for a purpose of data storage.
Androidsupports connection technologies including GSM/EDGE, CDMA, EV-DO, UMTS, Bluetooth,and Wi-Fi. It also supports a web browser based on an open source, applicationframework and it allows the usage of touch screen that is supported byadditional hardware, GPS NAVIGATION, acceleration sensor, compass sensor, and3D graphic acceleration. GPS(GlobalPositioning System) GPS is a radio navigation system usingsatellites and it is developed by United States Department of Defense formilitary use navigation but it can be used by citizens with a limited range. Itpredicts radio coverage from satellites to a receiver, and then it shows theexact 3D location, speed and time. This system can be universally used for 24hours, and many people can use it. This GPS system can be dived into 3different segments; Space Segment, Control Segment, and User Segment. SpaceSegment represents the location of twenty four satellites that rotate around the Earth every twelvehours. Since of April, 2007 there is also a total of 36 GPS NAVIGATION satelliteswith 30 of them are active and 6 of them are preparatory satellites In case offailure any satellite.
Control Segmentrepresents a general observation post that manages and tracks GPS satellites.User Segment represents GPS users and GPS receiver device.Google Maps Android API:-Many applications that pertain to theuser’s location or places in general need to be dealt with by Google Maps andprovide us with Google APIS To handle maps Maps API,Places API,GeocodingAPI,Road API, Direction API ..Etc. The Google Maps Android AP includes built-insupport for accessibility. Smartphone application designWe can use Android APIs tofacilitate use of the device by people without sight or people with reducedvision. The Android option is the Talkback Gestures software which ships withthe platform.
The developer can make this feature functional by using the android:content Description attribute on interface controls, and making sure that theseare all reachable by the user. There are also particular API calls included inAndroid 4.0. Software design The software on the system was designed to provide notifications as anearly warning for obstacles. The stick itself is to maintain its usual functionfor detecting obstacles, but be augmented by the technology. The software willalso provide a notification if there is a detected change in gradient.
Thearchitecture of the system was an event-driven architecture. The software onthe processing hardware will drive the system by calling the “detect”subroutine alternatively on the two obstacle detecting sensors every timeround, and the gradient one on a less frequent cycle. The controlling softwarewill then change state based on the received input from the sensors, and, ifrequired, pass on a notification (event) to the connected stick, via theapplication .The controller will then, once the message has been handled,return to the base state.
Back the distance data. The controller will thenanalyses the data and determine the distance of objects ahead. The distancedata will be then filtered to determine the range of distances that count as anobject.
If the object is in the range that counts as “early warning” for anobject (1m– 2.5m) then a notification will be called on the connected stick.The pattern and strength of the notification that gets called will depend onthe closeness of the object. Also, the detection of ground gradients will bebased on the angle between the sensor’s distance and the ground, calculated viatrigonometry. The angle will be held in a buffer, and if the angle changes morethan an allowed variable, a notification will be called on the connected stick,via the smartphone app. The notifications will take the form of a Bluetoothserial message sent via the serial connection on the Bluetooth chip.
This willbe receivable by the application via the android Bluetooth.