Image Processing Based Indoor Localization System for Assisting Visually Impaired People

Indoor localization or indoor positioning system is a known as a process of detecting position of any object or people inside a building or room by different sensory data collected from different devices using different techniques such as radio waves, magnetic fields, acoustic signals or other procedures. However, lacking of a standard localization system is still a very big concern. Solution of this issue can be very beneficial for people in many cases but it can be especially very beneficial for the visually impaired people. In this paper, an image processing based indoor localization system has been developed using OpenCV and Python by following color detection technique to detect position of the user with maximum accuracy and then location of user is determined by analyzing that location matrix. Location accuracy depends on the size of the matrix and successful identification of target color. Firebase real time database was added to the system which made real time operations between server and the user end device easier. To justify the proposed model, successful experiments were conducted in indoor environments as well and correct result was achieved each time by detecting accurate locations. This will be very advantageous to observe the fully or partially sightless people and guide them towards their destination and also to inspect them for their security purpose.

I. Introduction

Functional activities of visually impaired people are unavoidable concerns all over the world, for instance, almost 12.05 million people undergoes from this circumstance in Southeast Asian region [1] where most of the buildings are not properly equipped for easy movement. Moreover, though developed countries are very supportive towards the sightless people, but in the developing countries like Bangladesh, where almost 675,000 visually impaired adults exist according to a survey of 2000 [2], the scenario is opposite which describes the deprivation of technical supports.