Cultivating Navigational Autonomy in the Visually Impaired: A Novel Approach with VirtualEYE

This research project presents VirtualEYE, an advanced indoor navigation system for visually impaired individuals, integrating Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology and innovative application design. The system, initially implemented at the university premises, uses strategically placed BLE beacons and a purpose-built Android mobile application to enhance indoor navigation. The integration of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) beacon localization techniques with computer vision-based object detection provides real-time, voice-enabled assistance. Experimental results showed a 20.48% decrease in navigation time for visual navigation and a 37.34% decrease for non-visual navigation across all participants, along with increased navigational confidence. This validates VirtualEYE’s potential to improve the quality of life for visually impaired individuals and contributes to the broader discourse on the role of AI in healthcare.