Watching Distance: Wearable Depth-Perception Aid
Project Overview
Watching Distance is a wearable depth-perception aid for people who experience impaired depth perception after a stroke. The device measures object distance and displays the result in meters. An MPU-6050 gyroscope detects the raise-and-point interaction.
Repository · PCB schematic · Project poster
Hardware at a Glance
| Component | Model | Interface / role |
|---|---|---|
| Microcontroller | Microchip PIC18F27Q43-I/SO | MCC, ADC, I2C, UART, GPIO |
| Distance sensor | QSE114, GP2S700HCP, QED223 | Analog sensing -> ADC |
| Inertial sensor | MPU-6050 | I2C gyroscope |
| Display | OD-358R | Digital serial display |
| Display drivers | MM5452V, AS1115-BSST | Display control |
| Shift register | SN74LS674DW | Serial output expansion |
| Signal conditioning | LM358 | Analog amplification |
| Wireless module | Wi-Fi module | UART / serial |
| Voltage regulator | AP7361-33E-13 | 3.3 V display rail |
| PCB | Cadence Allegro | Surface-mount layout and routing |
Protocols: I2C · UART · ADC · serial shift-register · GPIO
My Contributions
- Integrated the PIC, analog distance sensor, MPU-6050, display, Wi-Fi module, and digital I/O.
- Contributed to the schematic and Cadence Allegro PCB design.
- Developed the raise-and-measure interaction using gyroscope data.
- Supported firmware debugging, hardware revisions, testing, and documentation.
Results
The team built and tested a compact wearable embedded system that converted live distance data into immediate local feedback. The design demonstrated analog sensing, I2C motion sensing, wireless communication, regulated power distribution, and a functioning custom PCB.
Project Artifacts
