Mall Navigation System for Visually Impaired

This project implements an indoor navigation system using BLE beacons to help visually impaired people navigate through a mall. The system consists of two main components:

1. ESP32-based BLE Beacons
2. Flutter Mobile Application

ESP32 BLE Beacon Setup

Hardware Requirements

• ESP32 development boards (one for each location)
• USB cables for programming
• Power supplies for the beacons

Software Requirements

• PlatformIO IDE (recommended) or Arduino IDE
• Required libraries:
  • BLEDevice
  • BLEUtils
  • BLEServer
  • BLEBeacon

Beacon Setup Instructions

1. Open the ESP32 project in PlatformIO/Arduino IDE
2. For each beacon:
   • Modify the BEACON_ID in main.cpp to a unique number
   • Upload the code to the ESP32
   • Place the beacon at the designated location in the mall

Flutter Mobile Application

Requirements

• Flutter SDK (2.17.0 or higher)
• Android Studio or VS Code with Flutter plugins
• An Android/iOS device with:
  • Bluetooth LE support
  • Location permissions
  • Text-to-speech capabilities

Setup Instructions

1. Clone this repository
2. Navigate to the mall_nav_app directory
3. Run flutter pub get to install dependencies
4. Update the beaconLocations map in lib/main.dart with your beacon UUIDs and locations
5. Build and run the application:

   flutter run

Usage

1. Launch the application
2. Grant necessary permissions (Bluetooth, Location)
3. Select your destination from the available buttons
4. Follow the voice instructions to reach your destination
5. The app will provide:
   • Distance information
   • Directional guidance
   • Arrival notifications

Beacon Placement Guidelines

• Place beacons at key locations (entrances, exits, shops, food court, etc.)
• Mount beacons at a consistent height (recommended: 2.5-3 meters)
• Avoid placing beacons near metal surfaces or other sources of interference
• Ensure beacons have clear line-of-sight where possible
• Space beacons appropriately to maintain coverage

Security Considerations

• The beacon UUID is hardcoded and should be changed for production use
• Consider implementing encryption for sensitive deployments
• Regularly monitor beacon battery levels and status

Troubleshooting

• If beacons are not detected:
  • Check if Bluetooth is enabled
  • Verify location permissions are granted
  • Ensure beacons are powered and functioning
• If navigation is inaccurate:
  • Check for interference sources
  • Verify beacon placement
  • Calibrate TX power values if necessary

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests.