130908Optical Navigation System for the Visually ImpairedClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKPeople with vision impairment have many problems navigating their environments, worse when they are unfamiliar to them. GPS-based route finding systems are available, but can only direct the user to the general vicinity of their destination (the building) rather than a precise destination (the door of the building). This means a visually impaired person still requires assistance to complete their journey. The solution is an image processing system mounted onto the glasses of the user that maps their environment and tracks progress through the map, determining their orientation and position relative to the map. Precise destination points of interest are marked so that subsequent visits may be made without human assistance. The system can be embedded into a mobile phone. The system will substantially improve quality of life by increasing independence for the visually impaired.