Multimodal GPS Navigation System for Visually Impaired Users with Tigrinya Voice Commands

Abstract

This thesis addresses the challenges faced by visually impaired individuals (VII), particularly in regions like Ethiopia, where traditional navigation aids such as white canes provide limited independence. Leveraging the widespread adoption of smartphones with GPS technology, this research introduces a mobile application that integrates Tigrinya voice commands, multimodal feedback (audio and haptic), and emergency support to enable autonomous navigation. By combining GPS-based turn-by-turn guidance with localized speech recognition, the system offers a culturally relevant and accessible solution tailored to low vision Tigrinya speakers. Rigorous development and user testing demonstrate its effectiveness, with initial results showing high accuracy in voice recognition and improved user mobility. The smartphone-based approach ensures broader accessibility compared to embedded systems, while the modular design allows for future scalability to other languages and regions. This work advances assistive technology by providing a practical, user-centric solution that enhances independence for VII