🦯 Walking Stick for the Visually Impaired

This project aims to design a walking stick for visually impaired people, equipped with features to enhance mobility and safety. The walking stick is activated/deactivated using a button and includes obstacle detection and fall detection functionalities.

🖇️ Checkout our project representation LinkedIn Post

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🛠️ Features

1. Activation/Deactivation

The walking stick can be turned on and off by the user using a button or switch.
📲 Inputs:

• Reset Button
• Activation Button

2. Obstacle Detection

Using an obstacle avoidance sensor, the stick vibrates whenever an obstacle is detected ahead, alerting the user.
🕵️‍♂️ Inputs:

• Distance Echo Signal (from obstacle avoidance sensor)
  🎛️ Output:
• Vibration Trigger (vibrating motor)

3. Fall Detection

The stick detects if it falls from the user's hand. Once it is detected as dropped, it keeps emitting a beep sound until it is located.
🧠 Inputs:

• Touch Sensor (detects if the stick has fallen)
  🎶 Output:
• Buzzer (warning sound)

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⚙️ Files Included

• .vhdl - VHDL code for FPGA implementation
• .qpf - Quartus project file
• .qsf - Quartus settings file for pin assignments

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💡 VHDL Code Logic Overview

Module: sumbission

This module defines the functionality of the walking stick, including the activation/deactivation, obstacle detection, and fall detection.

• Inputs:

  • Reset: Resets the system to its initial state.
  • IsActive: The button switch for activating or deactivating the walking stick.
  • Touch: Detects if the stick has fallen.
  • Distance_echo: Signal from the obstacle avoidance sensor.

• Outputs:

  • Buzzer: A buzzer sound when the stick falls.
  • Vibrator_trig: Triggers vibration when an obstacle is detected.

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📝 Code Snippets

-- Process for controlling the Buzzer (Fall Detection)
PROCESS (Reset, IsActive, Touch)
    BEGIN
        IF Reset = '0' THEN 
            Buzzer <= '0'; 
        ELSE
            IF IsActive = '1' THEN
                IF Touch = '1' THEN 
                    Buzzer <= '0';  -- Turn off buzzer when the stick is not dropped
                ELSE 
                    Buzzer <= '1';  -- Beep if the stick is dropped
                END IF;
            ELSE 
                Buzzer <= '0'; 
            END IF;
        END IF;
END PROCESS;

-- Process for controlling the Vibrator (Obstacle Detection)
PROCESS (Reset, IsActive, Distance_echo)
    BEGIN
        IF Reset = '0' THEN 
            Vibrator_trig <= '0'; 
        ELSE
            IF IsActive = '1' THEN
                IF Distance_echo = '0' THEN 
                    Vibrator_trig <= '0';  -- No obstacle, no vibration
                ELSE 
                    Vibrator_trig <= '1';  -- Vibration when an obstacle is detected
                END IF;
            ELSE 
                Vibrator_trig <= '0'; 
            END IF;
        END IF;
END PROCESS;

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📋 Installation and Setup

1. Clone the repository to your local machine.
2. Open the project in Quartus software using the .qpf file.
3. Connect the FPGA hardware to your computer.
4. Set up the necessary sensors (obstacle detection, touch sensor, and vibrator).
5. Compile the project and upload the configuration to the FPGA.

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⚡️ Enjoy the Project!

We hope this walking stick helps visually impaired individuals with their mobility and safety. Let us know if you have any ideas to improve it! 😊

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