Cane With Electronic Wet Dirt Identifier For The Visually Impaired

Vision impairment affects approximately 18% of the world population and impacts directly on people’s quality and style of life. The cane is a self-help device used by visually impaired people to improve their functional abilities. When storing or handling a dirty cane with wet dirt on its tip the person may experience an embarrassing and hazardous situation, since the cane can be infected with harmful bacteria deriving from dirt exchanged on the street. This study developed an electronic wet dirt identifier containing an YL-69 moisture detector controlled by an Arduino Nano board installed on a cane with the objective of alerting the disabled through sound and vibration warnings at the presence of wet dirt attached to the cane. The equipment developed was tested and calibrated in a controlled environment and proved adequate to identify and distinguish types of wet dirt adapting to any type of cane. This research presents relevant social potential since it guarantees the physical integrity of the disabled and generates a versatile self-help device, which is cheap and easy to implement.