1. P13015: Navigation Aid for the Blind and Deaf
Michael Bova (CE) – Team Lead
Kevin Alderfer (CE) – lead engineer
guide – dr. beth debartolo
sponsor – National Science Foundation

2. Project Description + Customer Needs
Navigate a blind/deaf individual to any desired destination
Calculate the shortest distance between any two locations
Intuitive interface without the use of visual or audio feedback
> 10 navigated trips on a full battery
Budget: $200.00
Improve upon existing design

3. Design Summary Forearm sleeve with attached housing case
Housing unit contains microcontroller, magnetometer, lithium-ion battery, keypad, and radio frequency transceiver
Sleeve has three vibrating motors sewn into the fabric for haptic feedback
Active radio frequency transceiver as nodes around KGCOE 2nd floor

5. Notable Changes to Design
Adoption of ez430-RF2500 transceiver
Active tags - Power redistribution
Access point
End devices (nodes)
Signal strength used to determine position
Restructuring of map

7. Schedule Week Planned Task Progress/Actual Work 1 Update Map Data
Complete 2
Update Nodes to send ID 3
Assemble Battery Packs/Node Testing 4
Fix Magnetometer Implementation 5
Implement Tilt Comp. & Create Interface Between Transceiver/MCU
Incomplete (33%) 6
Power optimization/replace RFID reader code
Ordered new magnetometer/worked on tilt comp. 7
Test ez430 integration
Lots of soldering 8
Full system testing
Implemented Magnetometer/began paper 9
Write tech paper, create poster
Integrate ez430, created poster 10
Presentation/Demo
Integrate ez430, finished paper
Schedule

8. Progress Node network created and operational
Magnetometer/accelerometer correctly implemented
Map data structures updated for new transceiver data (node ID and signal strength)
Physical and software interface created between main MCU and ez430-RF2500 access point
Still debugging UART connection, however, which has delayed full system testing

9. Bill of Materials Item Quantity Cost eZ430-RF2500 8 $160 16 Borrowed
AAA Batteries & Battery Holder 10
$23.81
Magnetometer (replacement) 1
$33.64
Total

10. Suggestions for Future/Lessons Learned
Be vigilant with team members and deadlines
Reposition the physical device to eliminate unwanted acceleration vectors
New PCB must be created to incorporate ez430

11. Questions?