Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Information for an Engineering Project (self.Blind)
submitted by insert_pun_here____
Hi,
Me and my friends are graduating next year and we are working on our final project.
We are looking to make a hat for blind people which can detect objects which may not be detectable by cane or dog, that will let the user know either by some audio or haptic feedback.
We really want input from someone who could actually use it. Some of the following are our concerns...
1. What objects do you normally have trouble detecting that could be helpful to detect (i.e. branches, people or curbs)
2. Do you often have trouble navigating new areas?
3. What is most comfortable way for audio feedback, would a speaker by your ear or some sort of headphones be better?
4. Would you find Haptic feedback (a vibrating band around your head) more helpful or annoying to detect proximity to objects?
If there is anything else you would like to add please let us know.
Also, if anyone has the time, we would love to talk to you over the phone or in person, just dm me!
Thanks
Me and my friends are graduating next year and we are working on our final project.
We are looking to make a hat for blind people which can detect objects which may not be detectable by cane or dog, that will let the user know either by some audio or haptic feedback.
We really want input from someone who could actually use it. Some of the following are our concerns...
1. What objects do you normally have trouble detecting that could be helpful to detect (i.e. branches, people or curbs)
2. Do you often have trouble navigating new areas?
3. What is most comfortable way for audio feedback, would a speaker by your ear or some sort of headphones be better?
4. Would you find Haptic feedback (a vibrating band around your head) more helpful or annoying to detect proximity to objects?
If there is anything else you would like to add please let us know.
Also, if anyone has the time, we would love to talk to you over the phone or in person, just dm me!
Thanks
Warthil 4 points 5y ago
There are haptic devices that detect hazards. The sunu band is wrist. The buzz clip attaches to clothing and I believe there is a cane. That said, this is a project so it is okay to look at reinventing the wheel. In general, upper body obstacles that do not extend to the floor can present problems. This can include low hanging signs or any other head or chest height objects that do not extend to the floor. Also, if you design a device think about how the user might feel with a vibrating band attached to their head. Likely very annoying. Hats are tricky. Would it be unisex? stylish? formal or informal? I know I am joking a bit but I would also challenge you to rethink hats. Integration with sunglasses or AfterShockz\-like headsets might be better. Speaking of headsets, Bone conduction headphones are great for any audio feedback. They allow the user to hear ambient noises and the headphone and are therefore less of a safety risk. I wouldn't want to have an earphone in and miss the sound of an oncoming car.
Not to change your project too much but an up and coming area is indoor navigation. Beacons may be part of the solution. A bone conduction headset that integrates with beacon detection is cool. If there was also upper body hazard detection that would be cool. Hey in an ideal world add gps for outdoor nav and beacon detection for indoor nav. Blindsquare is an app that most of this but a dedicated device might be good. Imagine if your university building had beacons describing the surroundings. They could be used by blind and partially sighted people but may also be used by visitors and conference goers to find their way around an unfamiliar space by advertising a specific app to download on their iPhone or Android phone.
Here is one article about beacons.
$1
Not to change your project too much but an up and coming area is indoor navigation. Beacons may be part of the solution. A bone conduction headset that integrates with beacon detection is cool. If there was also upper body hazard detection that would be cool. Hey in an ideal world add gps for outdoor nav and beacon detection for indoor nav. Blindsquare is an app that most of this but a dedicated device might be good. Imagine if your university building had beacons describing the surroundings. They could be used by blind and partially sighted people but may also be used by visitors and conference goers to find their way around an unfamiliar space by advertising a specific app to download on their iPhone or Android phone.
Here is one article about beacons.
$1
insert_pun_here____ [OP] 1 points 5y ago
First, thank you for the feedback! Most of the things out there now, as far as we know, use ultra sonic sensors which don't give as full of a picture as cameras. This allows us to be a little more flexible in how and what objects can be identified. We just aren't sure what to do with that extra flexibility.
As for the design, we were thinking of just making it in a baseball cap, that would allow us to put the actual computing stuff inside the bill and the vibrators in the band, this would allow for it to look and feel fairly normal. Also, those bone conducting headphones look really promising! Do you use them personally?
We were actually originally looking into something beacon related when we started our project, but we moved to the hat because we couldn't find a good use for beacons, but the indoor navigation sounds like a really cool project, and it's not to late for us to shift. This is something we will definitely look into!
As for the design, we were thinking of just making it in a baseball cap, that would allow us to put the actual computing stuff inside the bill and the vibrators in the band, this would allow for it to look and feel fairly normal. Also, those bone conducting headphones look really promising! Do you use them personally?
We were actually originally looking into something beacon related when we started our project, but we moved to the hat because we couldn't find a good use for beacons, but the indoor navigation sounds like a really cool project, and it's not to late for us to shift. This is something we will definitely look into!
AllHarlowsEve 2 points 5y ago
That sounds... incredibly annoying lol. Like, having my headset vibrate around my neck already pisses me off, but to have my head vibrate every time the camera sees my cane or anything go ahead of me? Ugh.
This exact project has been done, creating a camera that is supposed to pick up on obstacles at least, many times and it doesn't work any better than a cane. I'd rather have instant feedback that I can process right away, in the form of a cane, than audio or weird vibrations.
This exact project has been done, creating a camera that is supposed to pick up on obstacles at least, many times and it doesn't work any better than a cane. I'd rather have instant feedback that I can process right away, in the form of a cane, than audio or weird vibrations.
insert_pun_here____ [OP] 1 points 5y ago
Thanks for the feedback! I think the idea would be more to be used in tandem with the cane, rather than to replace. The goal is more to pick up what a cane can't, however we are not really sure what falls under that category, and would love to hear what does!
I think the vibrators would not be used for everything, but only urgent hazards, like sign posts or branches. Would different beeps of different tones or loudness be less annoying?
I think the vibrators would not be used for everything, but only urgent hazards, like sign posts or branches. Would different beeps of different tones or loudness be less annoying?
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