The feasibility of an electromagnetic sensor to assist the autonomous walking of visually impaired and blind users is demonstrated in this paper. It is known that the people affected by visual diseases usually walk assisted by some supports, among which the white cane is the most common. Our idea consists in applying a microwave radar on the traditional white cane making aware the user about the presence of an obstacle in a wider and safer range. Compared to the already existing electronic travel aids devices, the proposed system exhibits better performance, noise tolerance, and reduced dimensions. In the following, the latest developments of this research activity are presented, with special concern for the miniaturization of circuit board and antennas. A laboratory prototype has been designed and realized and the first test results of obstacle detection are hereby shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system.

Radar is an extremely valuable sensing technology for detecting moving targets and measuring their range, velocity, and angular positions. When people are monitored at home, radar is more likely to be accepted by end-users, as they already use WiFi, is perceived as privacy-preserving compared to cameras, and does not require user compliance as wearable sensors do. Furthermore, it is not affected by lighting condi-tions nor requires artificial lights that could cause discomfort in the home environment. So, radar-based human activities classification in the context of assisted living can empower an aging society to live at home independently longer. However, challenges remain as to the formulation of the most effective algorithms for radar-based human activities classification and their validation. To promote the exploration and cross-evaluation of different algorithms, our dataset released in 2019 was used to benchmark various classification approaches. The challenge was open from February 2020 to December 2020. A total of 23 organizations worldwide, forming 12 teams from academia and industry, participated in the inaugural Radar Challenge, and submitted 188 valid entries to the challenge. This paper presents an overview and evaluation of the approaches used for all primary contributions in this inaugural challenge. The proposed algorithms are summarized, and the main parameters affecting their performances are analyzed.

In this contribution, recent developments in the design and development of a novel compact smart radar for visually impaired and blind users are described. Starting from previous studies and according to the specific user requirements, a new antenna (dimensions: 54mm × 8.4mm × 1.44mm) and an integrated Tx/Rx circuit board, working in the 24–26 GHz frequency band, have been designed; the aim of these improvements is twofold: the miniaturization of the whole system allowing its integration onto a traditional white cane and a drastic reduction of the dimensions, weight and final costs of the system by using existing and available technologies.

Nowadays the technologies aimed at improving the quality of life of people affected by visual diseases are quite common; e.g., devices to support walking or reading. Surprisingly, there is a lack of innovative technologies aimed at helping visually impaired athletes during physical activities. An example is represented by blind runners who need to be physically linked to a sighted guide by means of non-stretchable tethers during races; with consequent limitations in terms of performance and independence. This paper wants to investigate the possibility of realizing a system able to guide blind runners along a complex path, paving the way for the realization of an innovative device designed to improve their independence during training or competitions. The system consists of: (1) a mobile unit, which is placed before the runner and generates two “electromagnetic walls” delimiting the way; (2) a receiving unit (worn by the athlete) that provides vibro-tactile warnings every time the user is going outside the safe area so as to encourage him to move toward the central position. The feasibility and the utility of the system proposed are demonstrated by means of tests carried out thanks to the collaboration of a blind volunteer.

Currently, the availability of technology developed to increase the autonomy of visually impaired athletes during sports is limited. The research proposed in this paper (Part I and Part II) focuses on the realization of an electromagnetic system that can guide a blind runner along a race track without the need for a sighted guide. In general, the system is composed of a transmitting unit (widely described in Part I) and a receiving unit, whose components and main features are described in this paper. Special attention is paid to the definition of an electromagnetic model able to faithfully represent the physical mechanisms of interaction between the two units, as well as between the receiving magnetic sensor and the body of the user wearing the device. This theoretical approach allows for an estimation of the signals to be detected, and guides the design of a suitable signal processing board. This technology has been realized, patented, and tested with a blind volunteer with successful results and this paper presents interesting suggestions for further improvements.

Sport is one of the best ways to promote the social integration of people affected by physical disability, because it helps them to increase their self-esteem by facing difficulties and overcoming their disabilities. Nowadays, a large number of sports can be easily played by visually impaired and blind athletes without any special supports, but, there are some disciplines that require the presence of a sighted guide. In this work, the attention will be focused on marathons, during which athletes with visual disorders have to be linked to the sighted guide by means of a non-stretchable elbow tether, with an evident reduction of their performance and autonomy. In this context, this paper presents a fixed electromagnetic infrastructure to equip a standard running racetrack in order to help a blind athlete to safely run without the presence of a sighted guide. The athlete runs inside an invisible hallway, just wearing a light and a comfortable sensor unit. The patented system has been homemade, designed, realized and finally tested by a blind Paralympic marathon champion with encouraging results and interesting suggestions for technical improvements. In this paper (Part I), the transmitting unit, whose main task is to generate the two magnetic fields that delimit the safe hallway, is presented and discussed.