Assistant Smombie is a built-in functional module designed as an Android system add-on and an additional feature of the mobile operating system. When this feature is enabled and the user is walking with the screen on, the smartphone uses its rear camera to recognize and analyze signs that indicate danger. If the module detects potentially hazardous objects, the pedestrian receives alerts on their smartphone in different forms, warning them of the danger ahead.
Warning signs
In our project, the warning signs are considered to be yellow tactile surfaces or yellow caution lines. In most cases, these signs warn of potentially dangerous objects and areas ahead of the pedestrian.
Tactile surfaces and yellow caution lines are now widely used around the world to notify visually impaired and blind people about obstacles and dangerous areas in front of them.
A smartphone zombie (smombie) can, in a way, also be compared to a visually impaired pedestrian. While walking with their smartphone, such a person sees nothing but the screen of their device. This makes such movement almost the same as that of blind or visually impaired people.
Therefore, using tactile surfaces and caution lines, which are already widespread worldwide, as indicators of hazardous zones is an excellent idea. This way, we make use of the existing pedestrian infrastructure with tactile tiles and yellow warning lines already in place.
How the module works
The Assistant Smombie module, if activated in the smartphone settings, should operate as follows. Running in the background, the module determines whether the smartphone screen is on and whether the user is moving (via the accelerometer), and then activates the rear camera to recognize and analyze signs indicating danger. If in this mode the module detects a potentially dangerous object or area ahead, the smartphone issues a warning to the pedestrian.
Hazard recognition
Using computer vision (OpenCV), the module is designed to recognize and analyze signs that fall within the yellow color range and whose thickness is less than their length. In this way, the module can primarily identify the tactile surfaces and yellow caution lines mentioned above, which are installed or painted near potential hazards such as curbs, steps, pedestrian crossings, rails, escalators, and similar objects.
Danger alerts
The Assistant Smombie module should have several ways to notify the pedestrian of danger, which the user can adjust according to their needs. These may include a notification icon in the taskbar, vibration of the smartphone, a sound alert, or a text message on the smartphone screen.
Usage considerations
There are a few other important points. If the pedestrian’s smartphone is in a flip case, the user must make sure that the front part of the case does not cover the rear camera. Otherwise, the Assistant Smombie module will not be able to recognize and analyze objects ahead of the pedestrian.
It is worth noting that the module will in no way interfere with the operation of other applications, as it runs in the background.
It should also be taken into account that the use of the rear camera, even in the background, increases battery consumption. However, this is not a problem, since battery power is consumed only when the pedestrian is moving and the smartphone screen is on. If the user does not use their smartphone while walking, the energy consumption will be the same as with the module disabled. Still, the user should be informed of this nuance in the module description and before enabling it.
Conclusion
Assistant Smombie is an innovative solution that adapts existing pedestrian infrastructure to protect distracted smartphone users. By combining computer vision, tactile paving, and warning lines, this module helps reduce risks for pedestrians (smartphone zombies) and contributes to making city life safer.