Technology is evolving and smart devices are popping out more and more every day. Although I am not a big fan of the idea, this might be useful for $1. These $1 people use advanced artificial vision in order to help them achieve increased independence. You can consider this sample as inspiration for your end product.

The second proposed feature you mentioned (intensity of vibration to denote distance) is a common method to indicate distance. The Mowat Sensor was a good example of this (it was made back in 1978 http://www.aph.org/museum-virtual-exhibit/vex9/23A18E0F-4178-4D07-AC4D-461550580040.htm ). A more recent version is called the Miniguide ( http://www.gdp-research.com.au/minig_1.htm ). The Ultra Cane does the same thing, although I don't believe the vibrations are quite as sensitive (https://www.ultracane.com/ ).

For your first proposed feature, you mentioned vibrating on the left or right to indicate if something is to the left or right. But by itself, that doesn't provide enough information to be useful. If it vibrates to the right, how far to the right? Using a clock face method of orientation, is it at 1 o'clock, or 2 o'clock, or directly ahead but just slightly to the right? That would be the difference walking past something and walking into something.

For those two concepts, they have been tried a number of times, to varying degrees of success. The UltraCane and the BAT 'K' Sonar Cane being the two most recent examples.

Your third proposed idea has some merit (self-driving cars use similar technology), although implementation would be tricky. I've heard of some people attempting something similar, but nothing useful to date.

If you have a chance, you should talk to someone from the local vision loss rehabilitation agency (such as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist) to show you hope the cane is used and what things may already have been tried.

Two resources that may be useful for you.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218025/

This is a chapter from a book from 1986, but it is still useful in discussing what the needs of a device would have to be.

http://www.tsbvi.edu/orientation-and-mobility-items/1974-electronic-travel-aids-for-the-blind

A post from 1996 from someone who was also trying to build something similar to what you proposed.

I'm not convinced that smart canes will ever be a useful thing. Stuff like the buzzclip, maybe. But building it into the cane? I need to replace my cane every two years as it is just because of wear and tear, so I can't imagine ever wanting to do the same thing with a smart cane costing hundreds of dollars.

don't work on this it's just a waste of your time we don't need this