Development of mobile robot for visually-impaired people

Thesis (Bachelor of Science in Electrronics Engineering) -- University of Rizal System-Morong.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The study aimed to design and develop a Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People. The research determined the level of performance of the developed device in terms of sensitivity and clarity of the voice; determined the level of acceptability of Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People in terms of functionality, design, usefulness, and safety and maintenance; determine the significant difference on the level of acceptability of the developed Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People. This study was conducted mainly at the University of Rizal System, Morong Campus during the school year 2015-2016 from the second semester of 2015 up to second semester of 2016. The researchers used the developmental and descriptive evaluation researcher design and utilized an adapted and modified questionnaire checklist with thirty (30) respondents, twenty (20) end-users, and ten (10) experts as the instrument for the evaluation to determine the acceptability of Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired in terms of functionality, design, usefulness and safety and maintenance. This study designed a mobile robot for visually-impaired people which uses a ultrasonic sensors, Arduino Uno microcontroller, voice kit, speaker and motor. The ultrasonic sensors will emit ultrasonic waves that can detect the obstacle and its range from the user; the information will be forwarded to Arduino Uno microcontroller to process the information sent by the sensor. Furthermore, the micro-motor serve to guide the user to take away the obstacle and information that will be converted from analog to digital signal and sent the new signal to the receiver. The receiver will then process the signals into voice from that can be heard by the user through the speaker as an output. On the development of the Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People, it was developed and performed as expected of its functions. The researchers determined the performance of the developed Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People by conducting various tests with respect to Sensitivity of the sensor is evaluated as very much accurate, and with respect to clarity of the voice is evaluated as very much audible. On the acceptability of the developed Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People: In terms of functionality as evaluated by the experts and end-users obtained an average weighted of 4.80 and 4.37 respectively, both are verbally interpreted as highly accepted In terms of design, as evaluated by the experts and end-users, obtained an average weighted 4.23 and 4.25, respectively and are both verbally interpreted as highly accepted. In terms of usefulness, as evaluated by the experts and end-users, obtained an average weighted of 4.17 and 4.05 and are both verbally interpreted as much accepted. In terms of safety and maintenance, as evaluated by the experts and end-users, obtained an average weighted of 4.60 and 4.65 and are both verbally interpreted as highly accepted. On the significant on the level of acceptability on the4 developed Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People as perceived by the respondents: It can be observed from the result that with respect to functionality, design, usefulness and safety and maintenance of the developed Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People, all of the computer t-value is less than the tabulated t-value of 2.048 at .05 level of significant with 28 degrees of freedom. The null hypothesis that there is no significant difference on the perception of the experts and end users is accepted and therefore it is not significant. Based from the findings of the study, it was concluded that the developed Mobile Robot for Visually Impaired People as evaluated by the experts and end-users in terms of functionality, design, usefulness and safety and maintenance were found not significant, therefore the null hypothesis. The developed Mobile Robot for Visually-Impaired People is highly functional, designed purposely for the visual impaired individuals, useful for visually-impaired individuals and safe for use and easy to maintain, therefore it can be used as aid/guide for travelling of the visually-impaired people. Based from the summary, the findings and conclusions, the following recommendations were formulated: further upgrading of the system so that it can differentiate smooth surfaces, wet floors and rough roads; Parallel study should be conducted to enhance the capability of the developed device; User's manual should be developed to guide the end-users/costumers; University research division should conduct feasibility study on the possible mass production of the developed device.