General Concept of Guide-Dog Robot Assistant Development for Blind and Visually Impaired People Using Webot Simulator

Nowadays, many industries are reducing human labor by integrating robotic systems to improve productivity and lower operational costs. For individuals with visual impairments, service animals such as guide dogs require continuous care and maintenance, creating a need for alternative assistive technologies. This study presents the development of a guide-dog robot prototype designed to resemble a real guide dog, equipped with basic navigation capabilities and intelligent behavior. The system is developed and simulated using Webots to explore appropriate artificial intelligence techniques and fundamental robotics knowledge. The robot navigation system is implemented using a supervised feedback learning approach based on rule-based logic (if–else statements) for path searching and obstacle avoidance. The project aims to provide knowledge sharing for students and academicians on effective methods for developing assistive robotic systems. During testing and implementation, several challenges were identified, including inaccurate distance sensor readings, blind spots caused by limited sensor coverage, and camera processing delays. To address these limitations, future improvements may include applying simple filtering techniques, such as averaging multiple sensor readings to reduce noise and enhance obstacle detection accuracy. Additionally, integrating distance sensor data with camera input can minimize collision risks by improving environmental perception. Simplifying image processing algorithms and reducing camera resolution may further decrease computational delay and improve real-time responsiveness. This study demonstrates the feasibility of developing a rule-based guide-dog robot simulation while highlighting practical challenges and potential enhancements for future research in assistive robotics.

Supervised algorithms, Webots, autonomous mobile robot, obstacles avoidance, image-processing, pre-defined path, FSM

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