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Keywords
Human computer interaction, Computer Vision
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COMPUTING RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK [March 4 - March 11, 2011]
Extending the Reach of the White Cane for Blind Wheelchair Users
Approximately one in ten blind persons uses a wheelchair, and independent travel is extremely difficult for this population. With funding from the NSF, the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute has developed a prototype computer vision system at that allows a visually impaired wheelchair rider to "interrogate" the environment using a standard white cane to detect important terrain features such as obstacles and curbs. This system allows the user to interrogate the environment by sweeping a standard (unmodified) white cane (which a visually impaired rider is already likely to be using) back and forth, from left to right. Using a pair of video cameras mounted on the wheelchair facing the path ahead, the system continuously tracks the cane location and sounds an audio alert if a terrain feature is detected in the direction the cane is pointing. Thus, the user interface extends the reach of the white cane in a seamless and intuitive way while permitting normal use of the cane.
Researchers:
James M. Coughlan, Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Agencies/Institutions (that have supported the research):
NSF, Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation
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Computing Research Highlight of the Week is a service of the Computing Community Consortium and the Computing Research Association designed to highlight some of the exciting and important recent research results in the computing fields. Each week a new highlight is chosen by CRA and CCC staff and volunteers from submissions from the computing community. Want your research featured? Submit it!.
