Applications of a 3D Range Camera Towards Healthcare Mobility Aids

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently studied a new 3D range camera for use on mobile robots. These robots have potential applications in manufacturing, healthcare and perhaps several other service related areas beyond the scope of this paper. In manufacturing, the 3D range camera shows promise for standard size obstacle detection possibly augmenting existing safety systems on automated guided vehicles. We studied the use of this new 3D range imaging camera for advancing safety standards for automated guided vehicles. In healthcare, these cameras show promise for guiding the blind and assisting the disabled who are wheelchair dependent. Further development beyond standards efforts allowed NIST to combine the 3D camera with stereo audio feedback to help the blind or visually impaired to stereophonically hear where a clear path is from room to room as objects were detected with the camera. This paper describes the 3D range camera and the control algorithm that combines the camera with stereo audio to help guide people around objects, including the detection of low hanging objects typically undetected by a white cane