Path Determination Algorithm of Guidance Robot for the Visually Impaired

시각장애인 유도로봇의 경로 결정 알고리즘

In this paper, we studied the path determination algorithm of the guidance robot for the visually impaired. Using the guidance robot for the visually impaired, the visually impaired can go to the destination where they want without other's heir. The navigation path of the guidance robot for the visually impaired must be the optimal path not only the shortest but also the most safe, which is different from a shortest path for common people. GPS and electronic map are used for the location information of the visually impaired. We corrected the error by converting the coordinates of location information from GPS, which includes maximum several tens of meters error, to the coordinates of electronic map. Information such as simple path and direction to the destination is not enough because it may be different between a going path from the start to the destination and a coming path from the destination to the start as around environment. So, we added information which can be dangerous for the visually impaired such as driveway, sidewalk without braille blocks, crosswalk, stairs and overpass, each has weight value as dangerous degree, when matching the GPS information to the electronic map, enough large as 1:5,000 scale.