A team from São Paulo State University (UNESP) and the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES) in Brazil has created a wearable device designed to assist visually impaired individuals in navigating their surroundings more safely and independently. The system uses tactile feedback to alert users to nearby obstacles, helping enhance mobility and reduce risk.
The components are stored in the backpack, which can also be used to carry the user’s belongings. Image Credit: Aline Darc Piculo dos Santos
Built into a backpack, the device features an RGB depth-sensing camera, capable of capturing images similarly to human vision, and a processing unit powered by a Jetson Nano, a compact processor ideal for tasks like image classification, object detection, and speech processing. Details of the research were published in Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology.
The components are stored in the backpack, which can also be used to carry the user’s belongings. The wires run inside the backpack and the straps, which vibrate when the user approaches an obstacle. If it’s on the left, the left side vibrates. If it’s on the right, the right vibrates. And if it’s in front, both vibrate.
Aline Darc Piculo dos Santos, Study First Author and Professor, School of Architecture, Urbanism and Design, University of São Paulo (FAU-USP)
The device was developed during Santos’ doctoral studies at UNESP’s Faculty of Architecture, Arts and Communication (FAAC) in Bauru, with support from FAPESP, Brazil’s National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and the Espírito Santo Research Foundation (FAPES).
Santos opted for tactile feedback over audio cues, noting that auditory information is already crucial for visually impaired individuals during orientation and mobility.
“Our main objective was, based on wearable technology, to increase obstacle detection, because with a cane you can only map what’s below the waistline. So the idea isn’t to replace the cane – a device the user is already used to and is unlikely to stop using – but for it to complement the backpack.” she explained.
The prototype, called NavWear, was developed by a multidisciplinary team of designers and electrical engineers, with attention to functionality, comfort, and ease of use.
“In addition to a major review of studies on mobility for visually impaired people and research on assistive technologies available for this public, we also partnered with a blind institution to understand user needs. Most devices of this type only address functional aspects. Few studies deal with aspects related to the interaction between the user and the device, which can influence acceptance and satisfaction with the product,” said the researcher.
Preliminary Study
To develop the current version, the team conducted a study involving 11 visually impaired adults and a health professional specializing in orientation and mobility.
“In this preliminary study, visually impaired people expressed a high level of concern about their safety in external and unfamiliar environments, as well as difficulty in identifying obstacles not detected by the common cane,” added dos Santos.
The prototype was evaluated from two angles: its usability by participants and how observers perceived users while wearing it. The first assessment was carried out in a controlled setting, simulating tasks like blindfolded walking.
“In this testing stage, it was possible to observe that the combined use of the technologies resulted in fewer collisions. Participants also reported feeling more secure and that it was less difficult to complete the route,” emphasized dos Santos.
One limitation, she notes, was that the prototype couldn’t be tested with blind individuals due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since it was developed during the social isolation period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was this limitation. Although the results cannot be generalized to visually impaired users, as they may have a different interaction, they’re promising and highlight the device’s potential for outdoor use,” concluded dos Santos.
Journal Reference:
dos Santos, A. D. P., et al. (2025) NavWear: design and evaluation of a wearable device for obstacle detection for blind and visually impaired people. Disability and Rehabilitation. doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2025.2477681