Design, realization, control, and validation of a smart tether system for a robotic guide for blind and visually impaired users

Abstract

This paper describes the design, the realization, the controller synthesis, and the validation of a smart tether system (STS). The STS is an add-on active device for autonomous moving robots allowing them to be employed as guides for blind and visually-impaired users. The paper illustrates the mechanical structure of the STS, the model identification campaign, and the control synthesis. Validation experiments are also provided to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed device.