GlassAI

This project is a portable device inspired by the shape of a walkman. It is designed for blind people and it is easy to wear and use. Inside the device there are a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino, connected to headphones, a webcam, and a distance sensor placed on the front. The device has two main functions. The first one is an obstacle detection mode: when the user presses a button, the system detects nearby objects and warns the user through audio in the headphones. The second function is a text reading mode. By pressing another button, the device takes a photo of a text using the camera. The text is then processed and converted into audio, which is played in the headphones.

The goal of this project is to make everyday life easier by turning visual information into sound, helping users better understand their surroundings.

We decided to create this project for several reasons. First, we wanted to help blind people and make their daily life easier. We are also interested in the building process and in how the device works. In addition, this project is a good challenge for us, because it requires both technical and practical skills.

Circuit:

1. Raspberry Pi
2. Heat Sink
3. Micro SD card (128 gb)
4. Arduino Nano
5. Webcam
6. Ultrasonic sensor
7. Headphones
8. Micro USB cable
9. Powerbank+his wires
10. 2 Buttons
11. Wires

Structure:

1. Scotch Tape
2. 2 Cases (to contain the camera and the distance sensor)
3. Elastic

3D print the box that will contain the circuit that allows the project to function. In addition to the box, also print the structure of the button that is used to press the actual button on the circuit.

1. Install Raspberry Pi OS on your Sd Card;
2. Install the following libraries on the raspberry: pyserial, pytesseract, opencv-python, pygame, gTTS
3. Use the python code provided for the Raspberry Pi
4. NOTE: if you want to use the Pi camera you have to modify the code

1. Set up the circuit by connecting the two buttons and the ultrasonic sensor to the Arduino Nano board.
2. NOTE: try to build the circuit on a breadboard first and check if it works.
3. Make sure to use long wires for the sensor, since it will be placed close to the camera, in order to measure an optimal distance before taking the picture. We recommend a length between 1.00 and 1.20 meters. To chose the wire length think about if where are you going to place the "walkman" box.

1. Put the Raspberry Pi, the Arduino Nano and the attached buttons in the first case (the one with the appropriate parts for the buttons);
2. Connect the two boards with a MicroUSB cable and connect a power bank and the headphones to the Raspberry Pi;
3. Put the webcam and the ultrasonic sensor in the second case;
4. To keep all the cable tidy, put them together with the scotch tape;
5. Connect the second case to an elastic, that will be around your head.
6. Enjoy!