An interactive braille-recognition system for the visually impaired based on a portable camera

Abstract

We develop an interactive Braille-recognition system using a portable camera for visually impaired persons who cannot read Braille. Our system helps them to find and then push a desired button, as is necessary when using an elevator or a ticket vending machine, for example. It is natural to think that the information provided, in Braille, with specific buttons is sufficient for successful operation in using an elevator or a ticket vending machine. Most visually impaired persons, however, cannot read Braille. To push a desired button, the user needs to hear only the word or letter associated with the specific Braille character so that s/he can correctly relate the buttons to Braille characters. If the user is informed of all the Braille characters in front of her/him, s/he will be unable to relate the buttons to Braille characters. In our system, the user interactively specifies the location of a particular Braille character to be read by using hand gestures. The system recognizes the user's gestures and reads the desired Braille aloud. In our preliminary experiment, six blindfolded subjects were all able to interact with our system, and recognized the meaning of the buttons that s/he identified.