"Visually impaired" - Google News - Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 10:12 PM
#TechThursday - Wearable device aims to make navigation easier for visually
impaired people - NewzHook
September 5, 2019
Our weekly #TechThursday feature is on a new device by a China-based company
that aims to improve quality of life for visually impaired people by making
navigation easier. Navigation apart, the device will also make comprehensive
scene perception easier.
China-based CloudMinds Technologies Inc has come up with a device that aims to
make navigation easier for visually impaired people. The device uses a new deep
learning-powered wearable assistive system.
The device has a powerful processor and smartphone and comes with two key
components - an RGBD camera and earphone. The device will collect data from the
surroundings of the user with the help of the camera which will then be fed to
the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) All the information derived from this is
communicated to the smart phone so the user understands this or her
surroundings better and is alerted in case there are hurdles etc.
Tony Kurian, a visually impaired student at the Indian Institute of Technology
Bombay says the device would help address the mobility challenges the community
faces.
It is ironic that after so much technological advancements, mobility of
visually impaired people are still in pre-digital era. It is even today driven
by the white cane even though a few replacements have been made. I have not
come across any such wearable device though I know a lot of people who are
attempting to create computer based smart canes and other devices like specs
with camera which will have haptic feedback. So this new initiative must be
lauded. - Tony Kurian, Student, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Makers of the device have used technology fully to ensure that users get the
best experience. They even tried this in real-world to know whether the device
can rightly catch obstructions and other disturbances in its path. As the next
step, makers are planning to introduce sonar or bump sensors in order to ensure
safety of users when they navigate through more challenging routes.
"This is a necessary technology, especially when it comes to outdoor navigation
and mobility", says Maitreya Shah, a visually impaired law student and
disability rights activist. "I have still have not found a perfect or
comprehensive solution to the outdoor navigation. So if this technology can be
addressed, it will be a good development. Limitations and the approach that
they take when it comes to object recognition also matters. Since they are
still working on it, let us see how well this will be implemented"
ALSO READ: #TechThursdays - Kibo XS, world's 1st intelligent personalised
scanning & reading companion<https://newzhook.com/story/23231>
https://newzhook.com/story/wearable-device-navigation-easier-visually-impaired-people-accessibility-disability
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info<http://WWW.DavidGoldfield.info>
