An Autonomous, Self-Steering Robot Cane for the Blind

(Photo: Cang Ye/University of Arkansas at Little Rock)

This robotic cane is the future of navigational canes used by visually impaired people. Dr. Cang Ye, a roboticist at the University at Arkansas at Little Rock, led the engineering team that developed it.

The Co-Robotic Cane (CRC) has a camera and a laser detection and ranging system that detects objects in the user’s path. It warns the user through the earpiece. The roller tip on the end also moves toward a useful path, guiding the user in that direction. Dr. Ye says that the cane will prove to be a great advance in navigational aids for the visually impaired that is far beyond that which is currently available.