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This research demonstrates the feasibility of deploying edge-native AI for assistive mobility using ultra-low-power hardware like the Raspberry Pi Zero 2W. By fusing RGB vision with Time-of-Flight sensors and running quantized models offline, the system achieves robust obstacle detection without relying on expensive infrastructure or cloud connectivity. The study validates that privacy-preserving, cost-effective intelligent canes are viable for resource-constrained environments, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for visually impaired users.
An Affordable AI-Integrated Smart Cane for Multimodal Mobility Assistance of Visually Impaired Users
arXiv:2609.22277v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Visual impairment affects over 2.2 billion people worldwide, yet conventional white canes cannot detect elevated hazards or provide semantic environmental context. Existing AI-assisted navigation systems typically rely on expensive hardware or cloud connectivity, limiting accessibility in resource-constrained settings. This paper presents an affordable (\$88 USD), fully offline AI-integrated smart cane designed for multimodal mobility assistance on an ultra-low-power Raspberry Pi Zero 2W. The system fuses RGB vision sensing with Time-of-Flight (ToF) distance estimation, pairing an INT8-quantized SSD MobileNet V1 model with distance-aware vibrotactile feedback and real-time audio alerts. To ensure operational robustness on constrained hardware, a multiprocessing architecture isolates sensor acquisition, neural inference, and haptic feedback into independent processes with fail-safe sensing support. Experimental evaluation across indoor mobility scenarios demonstrates a macro-averaged F1-score of 0.82 (precision: 0.85, recall: 0.81), a mean end-to-end latency of 330\,ms, and a peak power draw of 2.8\,W. A preliminary usability study with 12 participants (SUS: 78.5, NASA-TLX) demonstrated positive user perception and enhanced obstacle awareness. The proposed prototype validates the feasibility of deploying privacy-preserving, edge-native assistive intelligence for cost-sensitive mobility assistance.
Abstract:Visual impairment affects over 2.2 billion people worldwide, yet conventional white canes cannot detect elevated hazards or provide semantic environmental context. Existing AI-assisted navigation systems typically rely on expensive hardware or cloud connectivity, limiting accessibility in resource-constrained settings. This paper presents an affordable (\$88 USD), fully offline AI-integrated smart cane designed for multimodal mobility assistance on an ultra-low-power Raspberry Pi Zero 2W. The system fuses RGB vision sensing with Time-of-Flight (ToF) distance estimation, pairing an INT8-quantized SSD MobileNet V1 model with distance-aware vibrotactile feedback and real-time audio alerts. To ensure operational robustness on constrained hardware, a multiprocessing architecture isolates sensor acquisition, neural inference, and haptic feedback into independent processes with fail-safe sensing support. Experimental evaluation across indoor mobility scenarios demonstrates a macro-averaged F1-score of 0.82 (precision: 0.85, recall: 0.81), a mean end-to-end latency of 330\,ms, and a peak power draw of 2.8\,W. A preliminary usability study with 12 participants (SUS: 78.5, NASA-TLX) demonstrated positive user perception and enhanced obstacle awareness. The proposed prototype validates the feasibility of deploying privacy-preserving, edge-native assistive intelligence for cost-sensitive mobility assistance.
Artificial Intelligence (cs.AI); Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV); Computers and Society (cs.CY); Robotics (cs.RO)
arXiv:2609.22277 [cs.AI]
(or arXiv:2609.22277v1 [cs.AI] for this version)
https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2609.22277 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)
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