seeing eye gadget

[oldman420]

ok i was going to work today and saw this bilnd guy at an intersection he had the green but was unsure what to do i saw him listening and then he crossed.
i felt bad for him and thaught to myself "they should have sound indicaters at all intersections but soon came to the conclusion that that would be annoying to nearby neighbors.then it hit me:shocked::light:.

what if you had a device that incorporated a small computer combined with some sort of portable proximity indicator and a gps receiver.. and lastly a headset or ear bud that could provide audio clues and warnings. silent to the neighbors and very doable.
you could download a map of your route to lets say the store and have it use its built in map combined with gps and a proximity detector to warn of nearby hazzards that arent on the map. like a seeing eye dog it could really liberate people at a reasonable cost lets say 1500 dollars without having to wait for a dog and i think all of the tech could be fit into a device the size of a large phone or pda and proximity sensors could be cleverly desguised.
you would not be able to tell the difference between someone listening to music and a blind person.
it would of course cost 100s of thousands to develope but i know there are some here that could get the ear of a developer.
thank you for listening i feel better now

p.s excuse the mispellings if any.
jerome

 

[TuxDave]

Uhh..... the other easy solution that's implemented is that the walk button on the traffic post vibrates when you can cross.

 

[Cogman]

that, or go the way of the bionic Eye. . if I remember right they have a model that would give 256 color vision to the blind. but the major problem is the body begins to break it down. Very interesting technology IMO (Starts thinking of star trek's jordy (sp?))

 

[Shalmanese]

In australia, the walk/dont walk buttons on intersections make a sound ever 2s or so when your not meant to walk and a rapid sound when you are. It's not in any way annoying because everyone is used to it and it's quite helpful even if your not blind because you don't have to pay attention to the traffic.I get quite confused travelling to other countries because that system isn't present.

 

[Kibbo]

Also, no blind person would buy a device that would interfere with their hearing. It would be like us getting a pair of sunglasses with a HUD that filled up the lenses. Might be fun, but would you walk down the street with it?

PS: it's Geordi

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Shalmanese
In australia, the walk/dont walk buttons on intersections make a sound ever 2s or so when your not meant to walk and a rapid sound when you are. It's not in any way annoying because everyone is used to it and it's quite helpful even if your not blind because you don't have to pay attention to the traffic.I get quite confused travelling to other countries because that system isn't present.

They do this in a number of US cities as well (such as parts of Boston and Cambridge). I'm guessing they don't do it 24/7, though, so that the people who live near there can sleep at some point...

 

[oldman420]

Originally posted by: Kibbo
Also, no blind person would buy a device that would interfere with their hearing. It would be like us getting a pair of sunglasses with a HUD that filled up the lenses. Might be fun, but would you walk down the street with it?

PS: it's Geordi

true point what about a touch feedback system?
like a glove or sometinng that gives tactile vs audio information

 

[wacki]

Does no one read /.? Temps already in humans, Permanent implants due in 2006.


http://www.bostonretinalimplant.org/

http://www.technologyreview.co...les/04/09/demo0904.asp

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: Cogman
that, or go the way of the bionic Eye. . if I remember right they have a model that would give 256 color vision to the blind. but the major problem is the body begins to break it down. Very interesting technology IMO (Starts thinking of star trek's jordy (sp?))

Originally posted by: Kibbo
Also, no blind person would buy a device that would interfere with their hearing. It would be like us getting a pair of sunglasses with a HUD that filled up the lenses. Might be fun, but would you walk down the street with it?

PS: it's Geordi

Also, his sight was limited to infra-red until the movies and "future" scenes

 

[Titan]

In Montpelier, VT, there is a chirping sound like a bird every time it is safe to walk.

 

[Homerboy]

yeap nice little soft beeping sound here in some of the major intersections in SE Wisconsin.

 

[HermDogg]

I would think that one of the main problems with the whole "Seeing-eye computer" is merely the fact that the smallest things can change daily. I.E. Sandiwch board advertisements, tables out in front by restraunts, sales tables, that sort of thing. It would require MASSIVE upkeep in order for a system to be set in place that one could "download the route," plus how would the blind person access it? I think the best idea would be for some sort of SONAR-type thing in a cane that can detect objects in the user's parth. This could also be implemented with the traffic light idea, with an IR or radio signal that could tell the cane to vibrate in different ways to inform the user when to not cross the street.

 

[oldman420]

Originally posted by: HermDogg
I would think that one of the main problems with the whole "Seeing-eye computer" is merely the fact that the smallest things can change daily. I.E. Sandiwch board advertisements, tables out in front by restraunts, sales tables, that sort of thing. It would require MASSIVE upkeep in order for a system to be set in place that one could "download the route," plus how would the blind person access it? I think the best idea would be for some sort of SONAR-type thing in a cane that can detect objects in the user's parth. This could also be implemented with the traffic light idea, with an IR or radio signal that could tell the cane to vibrate in different ways to inform the user when to not cross the street.

yes thats brilliant sir what a perfect solution!
it overcomes the loss of hearing problem and allows for tactile input in a way that is effective.
good thinking herm.
as a bonus it would be easy to implement with current technology



:beer:

 

[JF0603]

EVER seen robocop !! he has human eyes even though hes dead