The duration of the project

2014.   -   2015.

Finance

Exploring Possibilities of Application of the IoT Concept to Improve the Safety of Movement of Blind and Visually Impaired through Transport Network

The research conducted so far at Department of Information and Communication Traffic have given a contribution for a further development of services for informing and guidance of the blind and visually impaired persons (hereinafter – the users). The given results within the project point out on the importance of further continuous research in the field of improved safety of users’ movement. The project has identified the necessity of continuous monitoring of ICT development, and keeping up with related devices and services through synergic influence of research divided in two segments; the technology of traffic and transport and the education and rehabilitation sciences.

The users commonly use their aids (such as a cane or a guiding dog) when moving through the traffic network. The development of the ICT provides users with new solutions and possibilities of informing about their current environment. Services of informing are based on the wireless technologies, such as RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, WiFi and RTLS, and  provide the user with information about their  current location on the part of traffic network, such as a traffic intersection. These services allow communicational connectivity of the users, other traffic entities and the entire traffic environment into a single unit based on principles of IoT (Internet of Things).

The goal of this research is to define a model of information and communication infrastructure and services in order to improve independent and safe movement of blind and visually impaired through the traffic network. The concept is based on the IoT and communication technologies allowing the required interaction and the real-time informing.

In order to achieve wanted goals, it is important to define user requests and to identify and analize relevant parameters of ICT appliance. The analysis of the possible appliance of multiple technologies (for short and wide range of covering), in a combination with the research of the IoT concept of sensors in traffic environment, makes the basis for development of the model of new service with an aim of fulfilling customers' requirements.

The noise of sound information on the traffic intersections lowers the quality of life for the citizens which leads to shutting down of the informing system at night and endangering the safety of the users. This problem can be solved by development of safe and reliable appliance of ICT services which can also produce ecological benefits in a way of decreased city noise.