Electronic Travel Aid for Blind People
By Damaschini, R.; Legras, R.; Leroux, R.; Farcy, R.; Assistive Technology: From Virtuality to Reality, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 251-255Publication Date: 2005
Paper focuses on two electronic travel aids designed for people with visual disabilities: (1) the Tom Pounce, and (2) the Teleact. The Tom Pounce is an obstacle detector that is placed on the end of a long cane. The device utilizes infrared beams that are spread 20 degrees horizontally and 50 degrees vertically. When the beam detects an obstacle within these ranges, vibrations are set off to alert the user. The Teleact utilizes a laser that is also placed at the end of a long cane. The laser detects obstacles at a range of 12 meters, while the user wears an earphone that plays musical notes that correspond to objects’ distance from the tip of the cane via pitch. Deeper notes are used to alert the user to objects at a farther distance away, while higher notes signal closer objects. A detailed technological evaluation of the systems are presented. The Tom Pounce and the Teleact were created by researchers at the Laboratoire Aime Cotton in France.
Published by: IOS Press (Website:http://www.iospress.nl)
Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE) (Web Site: http://www.aaate.net )
Link to text: http://iospress.metapress.com/link.asp?id=w28q5qq0t4tjywqd
