HelpNAV

This
work proposes to carry out an initial proof of market study in the area of high speed
visible light communication (VLC) to provide navigational assistance to blind, sight impaired
and other people with handicaps who require assistance in finding their way in public places.
When we think of a light bulb and its purpose, the first thing that comes to our mind is
illumination. However, lighting technology has been advanced beyond this initial
functionality to where LED lights are capable of providing illumination and also broadband
data transmission from the same light beam.
This novel optical wireless technology uses the visible light spectrum, enabling data to be
delivered by flickering LED light at very high speeds, where the human eye is unable to
detect the rapid flickering of the light beam. The radius of coverage for VLC lighting in
buildings is typically 1.5-2m. Thus VLC enabled LED lights can serve as navigational
beacons indicating their position and information associated with that position. This is
continuously broadcast to HelpNav mobile devices beneath to the LED light. The user’s
destination will have been entered into their mobile device prior to or upon entry to the
building (via a voice/touch screen activated Wi-Fi registration kiosk). In either case the route
of LED beacon way points is calculated and downloaded into the user’s mobile device. Whilst
on route to their destination an audio beep or a moving symbol on a map display at each way
point confirms they are the right route. If they encounter a waypoint not on their route, they
are advised to stop and receive new directions that can be provided by the app on their mobile
device that requests them via Wi-Fi from a central building IT server. An alternative approach
would use VLC to download directions to reach any destination in the building from a given
LED beacon position. This can all take place within few seconds.