Automação residencial: solução para dificuldades cotidianas de deficientes visuais

Abstract

Many people live with some form of disability, whether physical or mental. In the 21st century, accessibility has become essential, as everyone should have equal opportunities to carry out their daily activities. Accessibility is guaranteed by law, reflecting the need for an inclusive environment. Home automation can make a home safer, more comfortable, and more functional. In general, automation facilitates life for residents and visitors. In this context, this study aims to demonstrate how home automation can improve the life of a visually impaired user. The study participant is a 56-year-old woman diagnosed with keratoconus. This woman underwent interviews, one of which focused on understanding her daily limitations. Based on the results of this discussion, an in-depth literature review was conducted to gain further insight into the topic, which also served as a foundation for creating two low-cost prototypes aimed at improving the user's quality of life. The prototypes were bench-tested to verify their conditions before being used by the participant. They were then installed in her residence for direct testing. Two additional interviews were conducted to assess the acceptance of the devices. Both prototypes were approved and praised, proving their effectiveness. When comparing the cost of the prototypes to some commercial home automation solutions, it is evident that the devices developed in this study have a much lower cost. These results demonstrate how home automation can help improve the quality of life for people with visual impairments.