Ultrasonic Glasses

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  A picture of the finished glasses

Inspiration

We realized that the visually impaired would have difficulties finding out about objects that are at head level, as using a walking stick may be unwieldy for doing so. We decided to try and tackle that issue of object detection using our ultrasonic glasses.

What it does

Our glasses contain a built-in ultrasonic range sensor, as well as a buzzer. The ultrasonic sensor detects the distance from an object the user is looking at, and the buzzer sounds off at a certain frequency depending on how far away the object is (with a max range of 2 meters). This serves to both alert the user that there is an object in their path, and give a general indication of how far away it is.

How we built it

We 3D printed a frame for our glasses, and modified it by designing custom slots for the sensors to fit in to. The code, running on an Arduino, is located in a separate case that the user keeps in their pocket.

Challenges we ran into

We ran into several challenges while designing our device. Ensuring that the glasses frame fit together properly, and that all the sensors fit into the housings, was one of the key issues we encountered. We also went through several iterations of sensors, going back and forth between using a vibration motor or a buzzer to alter the user.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We finished the code for our device early on, so once the printing was completed, we were able to quickly put our device together and witness it working. We were also able to leverage the skills of all of our team members in order to smoothly complete our project. Furthermore, because our glasses use an ultrasonic sensor, it can also function at night.

What we learned

We learned valuable skills about time management when working on a project in a limited time frame.

What's next for Ultrasonic Glasses

If we continued to develop our idea, we'd likely want to hide the wiring inside the glasses rather than having it run along the outside. This would help with balance for the glasses.

Built With

• arduino
• c++