Obstacle Detector and Qibla Finder for Visually Impaired Muslim Community

Vision impairment remains a serious global health concern in poor and developing countries. Indonesia has the highest blindness rate in the Southeast Asian region. The majority of the roughly 3.0 million visually impaired individuals have Islamic faith. A Salah means “worship”, is an obligatory religious duty for every Muslim which is observed 5 times a day and performed in a whole series of movements. It requires them to face the direction of the Qibla that is oriented towards the Kaaba in the city of Mecca that connects the believers. In this research, a portable, lightweight, and low-cost assistive device was placed in a traditional Muslim headwear Peci, that will help them not only to avoid head collisions but also to determine the correct Qibla prayer direction. The module integrated obstacle detection, direction finder, and notification system. First, the ultrasonic sensor will be embedded in the front of the Peci for obstacle detection. Second, a digital compass and global positioning system receiver will be utilized to determine the coordinates of the person and to calculate the direction of the Qibla. Third, selection control between the obstacle detector and the Qibla finder functions will be done through the use of switches. Fourth, notification is done via a vibration motor. Fifth, a Blynk mobile application will be developed to provide family members with the real-time location of the visually impaired loved one.