Proposal 1 - Wardrobe for the visually impaired

Problem

Individuals with visual impairments often face unique challenges when it comes to selecting and organizing their wardrobe. While some strategies, such as memorizing the textures, shapes, or positions of clothing items, can help mitigate these difficulties, these methods are not without their limitations. Many users rely on external assistance to manage their clothing, which can impact their independence and confidence. This raises several key issues that the proposed solution aims to address:

• Lack of Autonomous Verification: There is no reliable way for users to independently confirm details such as the color or pattern of a clothing item.
• Time-Consuming Selection Process: Finding a specific piece of clothing can be a slow and frustrating task, particularly in large or disorganized wardrobes.
• Inability to Confirm Missing Items: Users have no efficient way to verify whether a specific item is absent or unavailable in their wardrobe.

The solution proposed by this project seeks to tackle these challenges by providing a smart, accessible digital wardrobe assistant, enabling visually impaired individuals to manage their clothing with greater ease, efficiency, and autonomy.

Project Overview

This project introduces a smart wardrobe system tailored for blind and visually impaired users, combining a physical assistive mechanism with an accessible mobile application. At its core is a motorized scanning head installed above the clothing rod inside a wardrobe. This head moves horizontally, reading RFID tags embedded in modular hanger holders, each designed to hold a single clothing item.

The system is designed to enhance personal autonomy by enabling users to identify, locate, and organize clothing through audio cues and voice commands. Once the user requests a specific garment via the mobile app, the scanning head traverses the wardrobe rail, reading each RFID until the correct tag is found. A buzzer is then activated, indicating the precise location of the item. The system also supports guided storage, allowing users to easily return garments to their designated place.

Key Features

• Mobile Application

  Serves as the user’s interface to the system. It allows clothing registration, outfit coordination, and wardrobe management, all accessible via hands-free voice interaction.

• RFID-Based Clothing Identification:

  Each modular hanger holder includes a passive RFID tag uniquely associated with a clothing item. The mobile head scans these tags to identify and locate specific garments.

• Voice-Controlled Mobile Application:

  The companion app enables users to register garments, search for specific pieces, and receive outfit suggestions using only voice commands. It includes audio feedback and high-contrast visuals for optimal accessibility.

• Auditory Location Indication:

  Upon locating the requested item, the system activates a buzzer positioned near the corresponding hanger. This allows the user to accurately retrieve the item based solely on sound.

• Guided Clothing Storage:

  When storing clothes, the user can indicate the item via the app. The system then scans the available hangers and uses the buzzer to indicate the correct spot, maintaining the organization of the wardrobe.

• Smart Outfit Recommendations:

  The mobile app can provide personalized outfit suggestions based on weather, season, and user preferences—supporting both practical and style-conscious decision-making.

To provide a clear understanding of the proposed solution, the following section includes a block diagram that outlines the system's architecture. This diagram illustrates the key components and their interactions, showcasing how the application processes input, manages data, and delivers output to the user.