The Arianna smartphone app lets a smartphone function as virtual cane to help the visually impaired navigate indoors in areas where GPS is not available.
Inspired by the Greek myth in which Ariadne gave Theseus a ball of thread to help guide him out of the Labyrinth, the app is designed to work in conjunction with a route marked by colored tape. Once the tape has been installed in the building, app users would place a finger on their screen and scan their phone over the ground to located the colored line. The app will cause the screen to vibrate whenever the line on the screen passes under the user’s finger, and scanning the phone back and forth would allow the user to follow the designated route. Extra information, such as the location of restrooms or shops, would be contained within QR codes also placed on the ground.