Improving visual perception through technology: a comparative analysis of real-time visual aid systems

Abstract

Visually impaired individuals continue to face barriers in accessing reading and listening resources. To address these challenges, we present a comparative analysis of cutting-edge technological solutions designed to assist people with visual impairments by providing relevant feedback and effective support. Our study examines various models leveraging InceptionV3 and V4 architectures, long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) decoders, and datasets such as Microsoft Common Objects in Context (MSCOCO) 2017. Additionally, we explore the integration of optical character recognition (OCR), translation tools, and image detection techniques, including scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), speeded-up robust features (SURF), oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB), and binary robust invariant scalable keypoints (BRISK). Through this analysis, we highlight the advancements and potential of assistive technologies. To assess these solutions, we have implemented a rigorous benchmarking framework evaluating accuracy, usability, response time, robustness, and generalizability. Furthermore, we investigate mobile integration strategies for real-time practical applications. As part of this effort, we have developed a mobile application incorporating features such as automatic captioning, OCR based text recognition, translation, and text-to-audio conversion, enhancing the daily experiences of visually impaired users. Our research focuses on system efficiency, user accessibility, and potential improvements, paving the way for future innovations in assistive technology.