IoT Based Smart Walking Stick for Enhanced Mobility of The Visually Impaired

Vision is a crucial aspect of human life, but unfortunately, some people are visually impaired and face significant daily challenges. This issue intensifies when navigating unfamiliar areas. Blindness still lacks adequate global support, despite numerous efforts to improve mobility for the visually impaired. Traditional white canes remain basic tools, and while various electronic aids are available, they often suffer from high costs, limited user-friendliness, and accuracy issues. Our research introduces an IoT-based Smart Walking Stick designed to enhance self-sufficiency for blind individuals. This system provides real-time monitoring and safety alerts through prerecorded voice messages, ensuring user security. It integrates several components, including the ESP32, ultrasonic sensors for obstacle detection in front, left, and right directions, IR sensors for detecting road obstacles, a water level sensor for detecting the probability of water in potholes, and a mini solar panel for battery backup. Pre-recorded voice messages, stored on an SD card, offer auditory alerts to the user. Additionally, GPS and GSM modules facilitate live location tracking and SMS alerts to guardians. The ESP32 processes and transmits sensor data to a Node.js server via MQTT, enabling guardians to monitor the user’s location and status through a dedicated website or mobile app. This smart stick is crafted to empower visually impaired users by improving their independence and comfort through an affordable and innovative solution.