Jalandhar: Smart shoes with sensors for visually impaired

A diploma holder in electrical engineering from Mehr Chand Polytechnic has come up with smart shoes for the visually impaired.

Student Daljot Singh, with guidance from faculty member Gagandeep and head of department (HoD) Vikramjit Singh Sanghotra, has come up with a smart shoe design that provides a long-term solution for the visually challenged to walk on roads independently without the need to carry a cane.

While earlier sensors and devices for assisting the visually impaired in walking were attached with the smart canes, now these have been integrated in the shoes itself. Explained Daljot, “If any visually challenged person will come across an obstacle in the passage, the ultrasonic sensors will alert him immediately. A buzzer will sound as soon as he is 2 feet away from the obstacle and he can avoid a collision or fall.”

Daljot said that even though he had readied a prototype of the shoe for any object detection, more features too could be added to it as per the demand of the user. “The shoes can be integrated with GPS features. With this addition, the visually impaired person can navigate through unfamiliar areas with audio assistance. Also, if the user somehow loses track of his routine route, he can use GPS to know where he has reached,” the young innovator shared.

Daljot, who has recently passed the diploma course and intends to join BTech soon, said, “A more advanced feature in the shoe can be its integration with AI. If that is done, then the shoes can help visually impaired person identify the person in front of him, know his facial and body gestures and even be informed about objects around him.”

The expert said, “A smart shoe with only ultrasound sensor can be readied for an amount of Rs 1,000-1,500. If we keep on making shoes smarter with additions like the GPS or the AI, the cost of manufacturing the shoe will keep on increasing.” He added that the circuit for the sensor could be installed even in regular, comfortable shoes that a visually impaired is already using.

Principal of the polytechnic Jagroop Singh said, “Our student has made smart shoes in the most affordable design. Our teams are working on to develop the prototype further and be of help to the community”.