Mapping terrains using smart wearables to improve accessibility and hazard detection.

Mapping the topography and the conditions of indoor/outdoor terrains is an important ongoing research area, as terrain mapping is required for safe and efficient navigation for a variety of users. For example, pedestrians and cyclists need this information to identify the quality of paved roads to preplan safe navigation routes. Also, terrain mapping is important to identify potential hazards and potential natural disasters such as bushfires early. However, mapping topography remains a challenge as the conditions of the route can be unpredictable and dynamically changing due to external factors such as weather, road usage, and special incidents. Prior work suggests aerial mapping using satellites or drones as a solution. However, novel methods that are more than drones or satellites are needed because the terrain conditions can dynamically change, and utilising aerial mapping is not cost-effective and sustainable. Moreover, fixed infrastructure is often difficult to maintain and scale. Hence, it is essential to identify cost-effective, sustainable, and scalable solutions for mapping terrains. In this project, we propose using smart wearables to identify indoor and outdoor terrain conditions and map terrain topographies, including the type of terrain, inclinations, the presence of staircases, temperature, and moisture level of terrains. We plan to use a combination of intelligent wearable devices such as smart shoes and smartwatches. The fine-grain information these maps provide will help in applications such as bush fire hazard detection, route mapping for supporting the mobility of visually impaired users, route mapping for cyclists, runners, and walkers, etc. Below we have listed down main aims of this project Aim1: Collecting ecologically valid data from wearable devices to further improve the terrain recognition models and terrain temperature and moisture recognition models. Aim2: Conducting a pilot study to create a detailed dynamic topographic map of Monash. This will map terrain types, slopes, staircases, terrain conditions, and moisture levels.