Opportunities and Challenges in Development of Support System for Visually Impaired: A Survey

Abstract

Over the past few years, the usage of assistive technology by the visually impaired (VI) has significantly increased worldwide. These devices assist the VI in carrying out daily tasks efficiently, boosts their independence, thereby enhancing the quality of life. However, most of these technologies are very expensive and are not affordable by persons living in mid and low-economy countries. Advances in computer vision and deep learning have opened doors to the development of low-cost solutions for the visually impaired. This paper investigates the potential of a smartphone app to qualify as an affordable yet effective VI assistive device. We highlight the recent developments in computer vision and deep learning techniques that have the potential to provide innovative solutions for the benefit of VI community. We outline the strengths and weaknesses of different techniques and report on the unresolved issues and potential future directions in the context of a support system for the visually impaired. © 2023 IEEE.