Inertial Measurement Unit Sensors in Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired People, a Review

A diverse array of assistive technologies have been developed to help Visually Impaired People (VIP) face many basic daily autonomy challenges. Inertial measurement unit sensors, on the other hand, have been used for navigation, guidance, and localization but especially for full body motion tracking...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2021-07, Vol.21 (14), p.4767
Main Authors: Reyes Leiva, Karla Miriam, Jaén-Vargas, Milagros, Codina, Benito, Serrano Olmedo, José Javier
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
accelerometer
Accelerometers
Adaptive technology
Algorithms
Artificial intelligence
assistive technologies
Biomechanical engineering
Biomechanics
Blindness
Global positioning systems
GPS
Gravity
gyroscope
IMUs
Inertial platforms
Miniaturization
Neural networks
Obstacle avoidance
Optical communication
Optical measuring instruments
Parameter estimation
People with disabilities
R&D
Radio signals
Research & development
Review
Sensors
Systematic review
usability
Velocity
Visual impairment
visually impaired
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Summary:A diverse array of assistive technologies have been developed to help Visually Impaired People (VIP) face many basic daily autonomy challenges. Inertial measurement unit sensors, on the other hand, have been used for navigation, guidance, and localization but especially for full body motion tracking due to their low cost and miniaturization, which have allowed the estimation of kinematic parameters and biomechanical analysis for different field of applications. The aim of this work was to present a comprehensive approach of assistive technologies for VIP that include inertial sensors as input, producing results on the comprehension of technical characteristics of the inertial sensors, the methodologies applied, and their specific role in each developed system. The results show that there are just a few inertial sensor-based systems. However, these sensors provide essential information when combined with optical sensors and radio signals for navigation and special application fields. The discussion includes new avenues of research, missing elements, and usability analysis, since a limitation evidenced in the selected articles is the lack of user-centered designs. Finally, regarding application fields, it has been highlighted that a gap exists in the literature regarding aids for rehabilitation and biomechanical analysis of VIP. Most of the findings are focused on navigation and obstacle detection, and this should be considered for future applications.
ISSN:1424-8220
1424-8220
DOI:10.3390/s21144767