18-549 Team 12
by Baek, Michael, Rishi, and Yassine
Perceptions provides information about 3D surroundings through an intuitive haptic feedback form.
A wearable device that aims to allow the visually impaired to detect a wider range of obstacles as well as provide more accurate information about their surroundings.
Perception is a passive obstacle detection device for visually impaired people. Currently, visually impaired people primarily use a white cane to actively search for and avoid obstacles in their path. The downfalls of the current approach to obstacle detection include missing obstacles if the white cane doesn’t make contact with the obstacle and completely missing obstacles that are not connected to the ground (i.e. overhanging ceilings, open cabinets, etc.). Perception aims to allow the visually impaired to detect a wider range of obstacles as well as provide more accurate information about their surroundings without forcing them to actively seek out obstacles in their environment. It does this by using the Structure depth sensing camera connected to an iPhone or iPad.
Another main goal is to make Perception as easy to use as possible. To aid in this goal, Perception will give haptic and audio feedback to alert the user of possible obstacles surrounding them. This feedback will be intuitive to understand and not interfere with the senses that the visually impaired have come to rely on. In addition, Perception capitalizes on the fact that a large number of visually impaired people already have access to an iPhone or an iPad; few additional parts are needed for users to start using Perception.
Ultracane is a smart cane that uses ultrasound to notify the user of obstacles around the cane. With the Ultracane, the user would need to be actively moving and pointing their cane in order to find obstacles while with Perception this would not be necessary and of obstacles in their direction of navigation (left, right, and forward).
Handisco augments a cane and provides a system that allows the user to navigate to their destination using a bluetooth earpiece for feedback. While Perception does not have a navigation system, it allows the user to me more passive in detecting obstacles and navigating.
Sunu Band is a smart-watch that uses ultrasound to notify the user of obstacles in their path. The Sunu Band will only give feedback in the one dimension that the ultrasound device is point whereas with Perception, the user could be navigating more passively without having to point the device directly at the obstacles.
