HandNav: An IoT-Based Smart Navigation Glove for Visually Impaired People
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Visually impaired people face severe difficulties in moving around dynamic settings, frequently using conventional assistive devices that provide little awareness of the situation and predict hazards. This paper presents a IoT-enabled smart glove,low-cost and wearable assistive device that can help improve mobility, safety, and independence for the visually impaired. The proposed system combines ultrasonic detection of real-time obstacles (2–400 cm in range) and flame sensors to monitor fire hazards and GPS to track their exact location and continuously monitor them with Bluetooth. When the system identifies impediments or threats within pre-set ranges, immediate audio warnings are produced through an in-built buzzing alarm, and emergency events cause caregiver notifications based on location through a mobile application. Experimental assessment shows valid obstacle detection under one-second response times, flame detection, and GPS positioning error within 3-5 m in the outdoor conditions. The entire system is designed at a low price point, which is affordable to many people, especially in resource-limited places such as Bangladesh, where there are 1.2 million blind people. The Smart Glove will help to provide a viable, scalable solution to the problem by utilizing several safety functions in one wearable item, which will restore the confidence and foster the independent lives of the visually impaired, such as obstacle detection, flame detection, and GPS navigation to assist them in their daily activities.
Institution: Uttara University
Language: English
Subfield: Occupational Therapy
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7204448159