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Computer vision and GIS for the navigation of blind persons in buildings

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Abstract

This paper presents a system which integrates a geographic information system of a building with computer vision. It uses only one camera, for example, the one of a mobile phone. Visual landmarks, such as frontal and lateral doors, stairs, signs, and fire extinguishers, are employed for localizing the user in the building and for tracing and validating a route for the user’s navigation. The developed system clearly improves the autonomy of persons with a very low vision during indoor navigation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), project PEst-OE/EEI/LA0009/2013 and project Blavigator RIPD/ADA/109690/2009.

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Correspondence to J. M. F. Rodrigues.

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Serrão, M., Shahrabadi, S., Moreno, M. et al. Computer vision and GIS for the navigation of blind persons in buildings. Univ Access Inf Soc 14, 67–80 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-013-0338-8

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