1. ABSTRACT
Recent evolutionary achievements in robotics and bioengineering
have given scientists and engineers’ great opportunities and challenges to serve
humanity. With the development of radar and ultrasonic technologies over the
past four decades, when combined with the robotic technology and
bioengineering, gave rise to new series of devices, known as “electronic travel
aids (ETAs). It operates similar to a radar system, sends a laser or an ultrasonic
beam, which after striking the object reflects back and is detected by the
sensors, and so the corresponding distance from the object is calculated. In
particular, these devices are used to help people organ failure and people with
disabilities, such as visual impairment, deafness etc. This seminar is about an
instrument, which is the outcome of robotics and bioengineering, and it is
called “NavBelt and the GuideCane”. It is a robotics-based obstacle-avoidance
system for the blind and visually impaired.
NavBelt is worn by the user like a belt and is equipped with an array
of ultrasonic sensors. It provides acoustic signals via a set of stereo earphones
that guide the user around obstacles or “displays” a virtual acoustic panoramic
image of the traveller’s surroundings. One limitation of the NavBelt is that it is
exceedingly difficult for the user to comprehend the guidance signals in time to
allow fast walking.
A newer device, called GuideCane, effectively overcomes the above
problem faced by the use of NavBelt. The GuideCane uses the same mobile
robotics technology as the NavBelt but is a wheeled device pushed ahead of
the user via an attached cane. When the GuideCane detects an obstacle, it
steers around it. The user immediately feels this steering action and can follow
the GuideCaABSTRACT
Recent evolutionary achievements in robotics and bioengineering
have given scientists and engineers’ great opportunities and challenges to serve
humanity. With the development of radar and ultrasonic technologies over the
past four decades, when combined with the robotic technology and
bioengineering, gave rise to new series of devices, known as “electronic travel
aids (ETAs). It operates similar to a radar system, sends a laser or an ultrasonic
beam, which after striking the object reflects back and is detected by the
sensors, and so the corresponding distance from the object is calculated. In
particular, these devices are used to help people organ failure and people with
disabilities, such as visual impairment, deafness etc. This seminar is about an
instrument, which is the outcome of robotics and bioengineering, and it is
called “NavBelt and the GuideCane”. It is a robotics-based obstacle-avoidance
system for the blind and visually impaired.
NavBelt is worn by the user like a belt and is equipped with an array
of ultrasonic sensors. It provides acoustic signals via a set of stereo earphones
that guide the user around obstacles or “displays” a virtual acoustic panoramic
image of the traveller’s surroundings. One limitation of the NavBelt is that it is
exceedingly difficult for the user to comprehend the guidance signals in time to
allow fast walking.
A newer device, called GuideCane, effectively overcomes the above
problem faced by the use of NavBelt. The GuideCane uses the same mobile
robotics technology as the NavBelt but is a wheeled device pushed ahead of
the user via an attached cane. When the GuideCane detects an obstacle, it
steers around it. The user immediately feels this steering action and can follow

2. the GuideCane’s new path easily without any conscious
effort.101seminartopics.comne’s new path easily without any conscious
effort.101seminartopics.com