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Blind Aid Project Mid-Presentation

Blind Aid Project Mid-Presentation. Sandra Mau, Nik Melchior, Maxim Makatchev. Contents. Project overview What we've learned Related projects Website tour. Project Overview. Develop an Electronic Travel Aid for the blind indoor navigation and obstacle avoidance

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Blind Aid Project Mid-Presentation

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  1. Blind AidProject Mid-Presentation Sandra Mau, Nik Melchior, Maxim Makatchev

  2. Contents • Project overview • What we've learned • Related projects • Website tour

  3. Project Overview • Develop an Electronic Travel Aid for the blind • indoor navigation and obstacle avoidance • outdoor navigation and path planning • Range sensors and/or GPS

  4. Blind and Vision Rehabilitative Services of Pittsburgh • Interviews with the President and Coordinator of Access Technologies • Further interviews with Orientation and Mobility Instructors tomorrow

  5. Blind and Vision Rehabilitative Services of Pittsburgh • Optometrist services • Training facilities including a kitchen • Dormitories • We merited a mention in their monthly newsletter

  6. What We Have Learned • 90% of the the blind cannot travel independently • 7% use canes • Trailing: following a fine discrimination such as curb/grass border • 3% use guide dogs • Batteries don't die • Take initiative (intelligent disobedience) • Recognize limited classes of objects • Follow Asimov's Laws

  7. Interfaces • Most blind people don't read braille (especially elderly) • Vibration can be useful • Audible is preferred • In general: • Should not chatter too much • User should take initiative • Do not need an inventory of a room • Need a hand free

  8. Interesting Problems • Need to know what's nearby without actually passing by everything • Indoor navigation is more important • College campuses and hospitals • Instrumented environments • Hard to sell

  9. Interesting Problems • Buses at a bus stop • GPS interface: current location and what's nearby • Where to go and what to do at airports, hotels, convention centers, etc.

  10. Related Research • Stated Preferences for Components of a Personal Guidance System for Nonvisual Navigation [Golledge, Marston, Loomis, Klatzky] • Preferred input type for PGS • Voice input was strongest • Braille was surprisingly not very popular • Preferred output type for PGS • Most accepted was a collar-or shoulder-mounted speech sound device • Least accepted was output via headphones over ears • For devices with extra directional cues, speech or tonal sound output was preferred

  11. Related Projects • University of Michigan Mobile Robotics Lab GuideCane NavBelt NavChair

  12. Related Products • Sound Foresight Ltd • The UltraCane Uses sonar to detect obstacles and conveys this information through vibrating buttons on handle http://www.soundforesight.co.uk/ultracane_demonstrator.htm

  13. Related Products • Adaptive Technology Consulting • Many products for the visually impaired: • Braille translation, PDA, mobile phone organizer, screen magnifiers, Internet access with speech, etc. • For navigation: GPS system

  14. Related Products • Telesensory • Marco Audible Sensory System • Tech-Link kids (First Lego Robotics) • Pocket-bot

  15. To the web...

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