International Conference on Global Trends in Engineering, Technology and Management (ICGTETM-2016)
Advance SMS System for Blind Peoples using Braille Pad
Harshal A Dahake #1, Sunil U Nyati #2
Dept. of Electronics and Telecomm.Engg. SSBT College of Engg. And Technology, Bambhori, Jalgaon. North
Maharashtra University (MS), India.
Abstract
In our regular life the telecommunication field plays a
vital role. There is a complete revolution in the way
we communicate, specifically long distance
communication. Irrespective of all these advancement
in the field of telecommunication, the physically
impaired people have not that much amount of access
as compared to normal peoples for these technologies.
This project is based on inventing a messenger for the
differently disabled set of Humans, who may not be in
the position of using mobile phones for messaging or
any other kinds of communicating devices, with the
satisfactory comfort, which is known as application.
This system is linked with a GSM-GPS module to track
the location of the blind person and to establish a two
way communication path by using a wireless
technology. Here the user sends the SMS to the blind
person’s mobile number which is connected to the
microcontroller which is able read the SMS using
GSM module through inbuilt the AT commands and
then converts the characters of the SMS into the
Braille language using the lookup table present in its
memory. With the help of 6 relays Microcontroller
vibrates the Braille pad which act as platform on
which the blind person can read the SMS.
Keywords — Messenger, GSM-GPS, GSM module,
Braille pad, AT commands, lookup table.
I. INTRODUCTION
Mobile cell phones are major important part of our
modern life. It is always necessary for us to make a
call or send a message at anytime from anywhere in
world. For visually impaired users voice based list of
contact are provided with many cell phones, they can
choose contact through voice and make call when
necessary. Irrespective of all these advancement in the
telecommunication technology, the physically
(visually) impaired people have limited access for
these technologies. So to fill up the gap between the
blind people and the technological advancement in the
telecommunication field we have decided to design a
SMS system for them. We are designing a modular
device which is accessible by blind person. For that
purpose we are using Braille language as the backbone
of the project. So the blind people use the Braille
language for reading and writing messages. Now let’s
limit our focus towards short message system, it is text
messaging service serves as component of mobile
phone, by using standardized communications
ISSN: 2231-5381
protocols that allow the exchange of short text
messages between mobile phones. SMS text
messaging is one of the most widely used message
application in the world, with 2.4 billion active users,
or 74% of all mobile phone subscribers. We are
designing such type of a modular device which can be
accessible by blind person. Till date they
conventionally use Braille books. But it is not an
economical way of communicating now a day. It has
limitation on the maximum number of words per page
and pages per book. So we are interfacing Braille pad
with the cell phone so that visually impaired person
can have the access to the SMS system. Till date they
conventionally use Braille books. But it is not a most
efficient and economical way of communicating. We
are also providing voice announcement system with it
as extra feature. Braille is named after its creator,
Frenchman Louis Braille, who lost his eyesight due to
a childhood accident.
II. REASONS FOR ANDROID
Software development in mobile phones has evolved
over the time. Android has emerged as a new mobile
development Platform, building on past successes and
avoiding past failures of other platforms. Android was
designed to empower the developer’s programmers to
develop innovative applications. The platform is open
source, with no up-front fees, and developers and
programmers enjoy many benefits over other
competing platforms.
Software framework: The designers took a
successive approach when they developed the Android
platform. They began with a protect operating system
and built a robust software framework on top that
allows for useful application developments.
Open Source: The basic facility of this Android
platform is provided through open source licensing.
Developers have unprecedented access to the handset
features when developing applications.
Free Android application: Android applications are
free to develop. They do not require licensing or
royalty fees to develop on application oriented
platform. There is no need of membership fees and no
need of testing fees as well as no need of signing or
certification fees. Android applications can be
distributed and commercialized in a variety of ways.
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III. NEED OF APPLICATION
The latest software’s which are present in the market
for differently disabled people, are generally screen
reader software’s which forces them to use the keys on
keyboard. For sending the message they need to type
the message manually and remember the keys by him.
But these techniques make it very difficult for them to
use those softwares. Now in the technological world
smart messengers are available in Android market
which is based on voice to text transmission. Which is
also known as instance messenger in that, if you want
to send message, speak that message, ultimately
message will be converted into text and sent as SMS.
IV. SYSTEM DESIGN
The modular design of advance application is
shown in figure 1. In this specific application android
device provides platform for execution. Each android
device has SMS facility which is dealing with SMS
related processes such as sending and receiving
messages, message notification and alert signal etc.
The application is build on top of SMS i.e. when a
user installs the application all messaging is done
through application. If user wants to open messages
from message inbox, but when message is received,
by default message will open in application. This
application uses SMS Manager Class which is
provided by android to handle SMS related activities.
the message is translated into alphanumeric English
letters the microcontroller sends the typed SMS via
the respective mobile using AT commands.
C. Structure of Braille System
Braille is writing system which enables blind and
partially sighted people (i.e. visually impaired
peoples) to read through touch. This great invention is
done by Louis Braille (1809-1852), who was blind and
became a teacher of the blind. Braille system is
consisting of patterns of raised dots arranged in cells
of up to six dots in a 3 x 2 matrix configuration. Each
cell represents a letter, numeral or punctuation mark.
Some frequently used words and letter combinations
also have their own single cell dot patterns. For e.g.
Figure 2.Braille English letter code
V. WORKING OF APPLICATION
This specific application is built on top of SMS, so
that once application is installed on mobile, all SMS
related activities and processes are by default
performed by application. With respect to user
perspective, working of application is done in two
ways – First one application is used for sending
messages and other one when application is used to
read received messages.
Figure1. Modular system design
A .To read the SMS
The sender sends the SMS to the blind person’s
mobile interfaced with the microcontroller. The
microcontroller reads the SMS through the AT
commands and immediately converts the letters of the
SMS in to the Braille language by using the lookup
table which stored in its memory. Then with the help
of 6 relay hardware the Microcontroller starts to
vibrate the Braille pad on which the blind person can
read the SMS.
B. To send the SMS
The blind person can type the SMS using the key pad
connected to the microcontroller. The microcontroller
then converts the Braille letter to the English alphabets
by using the Look table stored in its memory. After
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Figure 3. Working structure
At receiver side application provides facility to read
message in multiple languages. When message is
received application gives indication or notification
and asks for reading, if user is present then user reads
and acknowledges that message. In case if user is not
present, application provides time to time notification
at regular interval until message is read. For this
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reason timer is used for unread message notifications.
Similar to sender side, user will interact with data
application through voice commands which provides
guidance through voice. Because of voice interaction,
application provides better and comfort user interface
for visually impaired users.
VI. BLOCK DIAGRAM
A. Liquid Crystal Display LCD is used in a system in
order to display the output of the application. Advance
graphics LCD can also used in a system to crosscheck
the output of different modules interfaced with the
microcontroller. Thus LCD plays a important role in a
system to visualize the output and to debug and
analysis the system module wise in case of system
failure in order to rectify the problem.
B.GSM Module GSM (Global System for Mobile
communication) is a digital mobile telephony
communication system. Advance GSM module
interfaced, we can send short text messages to the
specific authorised users as per the application. GSM
module is provided by sim uses the mobile service
provider and send sms to the respective user as per
programmed. This GSM technology enables the
system with a wireless system with no specified range
limits. This is a plug and play GSM Modem which is
easier to implement RS232 and TTL serial interface. It
is used to send SMS, make and receive calls, and do
other GSM operations by simple AT commands
through a serial interface from microcontrollers and
computers.
Relays are energized respective to the input from
microcontroller. As per the received commands the
relays are push or moves up and down. Thus the blind
person will be able to sense the letter.
E. Loud Speaker Loud speaker is used for making the
voice announcement.
F .Relay it operates in two modes:
1) Normally open mode
2) Normally closed mode
Relay is used to control different devices by turning
on and off these devices whenever necessary.
G. Microcontroller Here the controller is acting as
Embedded Web Server. It is the heart of our project.
An HTML web page is loaded in it. Different
peripherals are interfaced to it. It takes input from the
sensors and devices at remote places and produces
controlled output. The data transaction is through
Zigbee.
VII. FLOWCHART
A. SMS Receive
Figure 4.Block Diagram
C. Keypad it consists of 9 keys arranged in 4x4 format
i.e. 3 rows and 3 columns. These keys are connected
to the I/O port of the controller.
D. Braille Pad it consists of 6 relays connected to the
I/O port of the microcontroller via driver circuit.
ISSN: 2231-5381
Figure.5 Flowchart of SMS receive
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International Conference on Global Trends in Engineering, Technology and Management (ICGTETM-2016)
[3]Siddhesh R.Baravkar, Mohit R.Borde, Mahendra K. Nivangune,”
Android text messaging application for visually impaired people”,
IRACST – Engineering Science and Technology: An International
Journal (ESTIJ), ISSN: 2250-3498,Vol.3, No.1, February 2013
B. SMS Send
[4] Abdel Ilah Nour Alshbatat,” Automated Mobility and
Orientation System for Blind or Partially Sighted People”,
International Journal on smart Sensing and Intelligent system, Vol.6,
No.2 Apr. 10, 2013,, www.s2is.org
Figure. 6 Flowchart of SMS sends
VIII. CONCLUSION
In this way this project explains the idea of messaging
system for visually impaired peoples. This vital
technology tool and its application in the area of
telecommunication have significant and widespread. It
allows environmental barriers to be removed for
people with a wide range of disabilities. Thus with
some modifications in previous conventional
communicating device, we can accommodate large no.
of visually impaired people in communication system.
In this way system is modified to read the SMS in a
string, also blind person able to read the e-mail also.
In recent years, SMS messaging system for disability
and handicapped communication aids has become
widely deployed in large amount. Text to Speech is
also finding new applications outside the disability
market in future.
REFERENCES
[1] G.Devi Priya1, N.Indumathi2, N.Kalaimagal3, A.Suriya4,
J.T.Vasuki,” Hardware Based Braille Pad on Mobile Phone”,
International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer and
Communication Engineering, Vol. 3, Special Issue 2, March 2015
[2] Ms. Varsha V. Gaikwad,Prof.R.M.Khaire,”Hardware Based
Braille Note Taker”, International Journal of Advanced Research in
Computer Science and Software Engineering Research Paper,
Volume 4, Issue 2, February 2014 ISSN: 2277 128X,
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