Search

Assistive technologies nowadays have an increasing application in overcoming the everyday needs of visually impaired persons. Going to the grocery store for groceries is a challenge for any visually impaired person who moves without a personal assistant. Creating a perception of the space in which the person is located and the possibility of orientation in such an environment is significantly reduced. The solutions and services currently available are based solely on reading products using some form of assistive technology. In this research, user needs were analyzed to define the necessary information to master the shopping process. The research aims to define a conceptual system architecture to deliver InnIoTShop information service to users moving through smart stores. The proposed architecture is based on the IoT concept, and an InnIoTShop service taxonomy has been created for this service. For data collection, processing, and fusion, the concept of Fog/Cloud Computing and M2M and M2H technology was used, which enables the adaptation of information to visually impaired persons. The paper also validated specific elements of the system architecture, which confirmed individual service functionalities' operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Movement and informing visually impaired persons is difficult because mobile application solutions and services are unable to work in indoors environments (location based service using GPS technology). Main precondition for active participation in the daily living and needs of visually impaired persons is increased degree of mobility. The aim of this research is to increase the quality of life of visually impaired persons and the degree of mobility in indoor environments by applying modern information and communication technologies (Cloud Computing, Fog, IoT, AAL /ELE platform). User requirement will be used to define functionalities of service for informing visually impaired persons in the example of large retail chains. A conceptual system architecture model will be proposed for providing information service with the aim to provide real-time information to users. This research will also show simulation testing of the proposed architecture with Arduino Uno and Raspberry Pi 3 platforms for collecting information and informing end users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information about the environment and the precise guidance of visually impaired people is the basis for their safe movement of the traffic network. Therefore, the information and communication services should be adapted to this group of users. The services based on the advanced information and communication technologies provide the visually impaired persons with information about the environment while moving along the traffic network. This paper analyses the currently available information systems of users when moving traffic network, and the currently most services based on new ICT (Information and Communications Technology). The analysis was carried on a representative sample of the City of Zagreb (Croatia) in involving all interest groups of visually impaired people. Based on defined user requirements is proposed a new services based on NFC (Near Field Communication) and RTLS (Real-Time Locating Systems). Testing and analysing the efficiency of single information and communication technologies have been performed on the actual traffic network system of the City of Zagreb. The users of the Croatian Society for Promotion and Development of Tiphlotechnology (Hrvatska Udruga za Promicanje i Razvoj Tiflotehnike–HUPRT,http://www.huprt.hr) participated in checking the efficiency of single technologies and services. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The movement of the blind and visually impaired persons in the traffic network is today based exclusively on the application of aids (white cane) and methods that the users learn during the training of orientation and movement. In present paper authors investigate accessibility of information and communication technologies and services with the purpose of increasing the mobility level of the blind and visually impaired persons when moving in the traffic network of the City of Zagreb. The traffic intersections were analysed from the viewpoint of difficult-to-master for independent movement by using the basic methods of crossing a traffic intersection which the users acquire at the training of orientation and movement. The method of survey and interviews with a target group of users was used to evaluate all the relevant parameters of guidance and navigation resulting from the mentioned analyses and by performing training of orientation and movement in the duration of six months. Based on the carried out research and the used scientific methods the dynamic model has been defined and it is based on relevant parameters of guidance and navigation, and on the application of the information and communication technologies and services. The information provided to the user, by the system, is defined according to the currently available technologies. The model was efficiency tested on a real system of the traffic network of the City of Zagreb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]