Introducing the Concept of a Hybrid Navigation System Adapted to Blind Users for Optimal Stress-free Indoor and Outdoor Mobility

Youssef Keryakos, Youssef Bou Issa, Michel Salomon, Abdallah Makhoul

Abstract: The most challenging task in the daily life of blind individuals is to navigate safely. This challenge is prevalent in both outdoor and indoor environments. The lack of visual cues when blind people navigate makes reaching destination a very difficult and stressful task to achieve. In our prior research, we established a connection between stress levels and the challenges encountered by visually impaired individuals during outdoor navigation. To address this, we developed an outdoor navigation system capable of initially determining the least stressful route between two points, and subsequently delivering real-time navigation instructions and obstacle detection. This paper introduces a novel concept: a hybrid navigation system designed to help visually impaired people navigate in unfamiliar environments, both indoors and outdoors, enabling them to successfully reach their destination while minimizing stress.