Introducing a Voice Synthesized Visual and Auditory Navigator Implemented for a University Campus

Abstract

The project explores the potential of a voice activated visual and auditory navigation assistant for human users in unfamiliar locations. Although the project was tested on the campus of American International University - Bangladesh (AIUB), it is expected to hold a much more significant impact in public areas such as hospitals, airports, and shopping-malls. Visitors who are unsure of the location of a specific office or department inside a large area, will find the service rewarding. Adapting the design based on human-machine interaction was a primary objective and the project can be considered successful in this category based on the feedback of the users. The technical aspects of the project involved designing a robot that takes auditory input from a user and synthesizes the speech to match for keywords in the database and replies using pre-recorded messages to direct the user to the desired location. The system also supplements the user with a visual aid for directions to the destination. Furthermore, an Android app was also developed as an additional feature for returning users who wish to seek further navigational assistance.