Assistive Technology for Low Vision and Alternate Sensory Input

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

• activating, in response to detecting motion of a visually impaired user via a motion detection sensor, a plurality of distance sensors to measure distances to one or more obstacles in an environment, the plurality of distance sensors comprising ultrasonic sensor and an infrared (IR) sensor;
• generating distance data for each of the plurality of distance sensors based on the measured distances;
• determining a vibration intensity for each of a plurality of vibrating motors based on the distance data, wherein the vibration intensity increases as the measured distance decreases;
• and
• activating each vibrating motor to generate a haptic feedback output to the visually impaired user based on the corresponding determined vibration intensity.

A method for providing navigation assistance to a visually impaired user, the method comprising:

• detecting motion of a user based on data from a motion detection sensor;
• activating a plurality of distance sensors to measure distances to one or more objects in response to detecting the motion;
• generating distance data for each distance sensor based on the distances measured;
• determining a vibration intensity based on the distances measured;
• and
• activating a vibrating motor to vibrate to the vibration intensity to provide haptic feedback to the user.