Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Shortfalls in Assistive Tech (self.Blind)
submitted by eclecticultra
Hi Everyone, hope you are well. I'm currently working on an assignment (I study biomedical engineering), looking to design a new or lower cost piece of assistive technology. I was hoping to garner some real opinions about shortfalls in AT for the visually impaired? I.e. devices that are needed/lacking/to expensive to be practical? This can be anything and everything, I really am looking to connect with real people as I am not visually impaired myself, so want to design something that would actually be helpful. If this post is offensive in someway please message me.
[deleted] 3 points 2y ago
[deleted]
SightlessBastard 3 points 2y ago
Yes. Maybe, some special kind of glasses. Something, that wouldn’t get in the way in your daily life. A Set of glasses would probably be the most unobtrusive thing. I think, the guys from InVision are trying something like that. But they are trying, to do it completely portable. That is probably, white these glasses are so expensive at the moment.
Winnmark 3 points 2y ago
Linux software development.
Rethunker 2 points 2y ago
This post should help you find answer to a number of the early questions:
$1
Refreshable Braille displays are expensive, but a number of attempts have been made by funded groups to replace current technology.
Do not for any reason make a smart cane!
As soon as you can, find some local blind folks you can survey and then talk to one on one (perhaps via Zoom). Pick a problem they want solved, and break that problem down so that you can solve some version of it in a reasonable time frame.
If you can make one or two local people happy, you've made a good start. DON'T try to solve a problem for tens or hundreds of thousands of people at once!
Since you're in biomedical engineering, which I assume emphasizes mechanics, think of focusing on blind and visually impaired folks who may have issues with mobility.
Another idea is to pick up a copy of the catalog from a place like MaxiAids ($1), see what seems overly expensive, and then design something better. Try to make it at least ten times better.
$1
Refreshable Braille displays are expensive, but a number of attempts have been made by funded groups to replace current technology.
Do not for any reason make a smart cane!
As soon as you can, find some local blind folks you can survey and then talk to one on one (perhaps via Zoom). Pick a problem they want solved, and break that problem down so that you can solve some version of it in a reasonable time frame.
If you can make one or two local people happy, you've made a good start. DON'T try to solve a problem for tens or hundreds of thousands of people at once!
Since you're in biomedical engineering, which I assume emphasizes mechanics, think of focusing on blind and visually impaired folks who may have issues with mobility.
Another idea is to pick up a copy of the catalog from a place like MaxiAids ($1), see what seems overly expensive, and then design something better. Try to make it at least ten times better.
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