The introduction of the white cane early in the last century gave blind and visually-impaired users a mobility tool that not only helped them to get around, but also allowed them to be seen by others.
Now researchers from Sweden’s Luleå University of Technology – the same place that designed the autonomous wheelchair – have developed and publicly tested a system which could potentially give wheelchair-bound blind people a virtual white stick to help them detect and avoid obstacles. An electric wheelchair has been fitted with a navigational laser scanner which provides virtual 3D maps of the surroundings, and sends feedback about any obstructions to the user via a haptic interface.
Using the time of flight technique, a pioneering navigational laser scanner developed by professor Kalevi Hyyppä of the University’s EISLAB sweeps the area around the wheelchair to produce a virtual 3D map of the surroundings. This information is sent to a haptic interface, which allows the user to “see or feel” obstacles such as open doors, or pedestrians, and use the joystick to navigate past them without so much as a bump.
The first public test run was undertaken by the project’s prospective PhD student Daniel Innala Ahlmark (who is himself visually-impaired), along one of the busy corridors of the University’s Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering Department. He remarked afterward that he felt safe when using the system, and that it was just “like using a white cane.”
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Autonomous wheelchair
- Beep Announces Autonomous Mobility Shuttle Pilot Program at Mississippi State University, a Statewide First
Beep, Inc., a leading provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions, today announced an agreement with Mississippi State University (MSU) to launch the first-ever autonomous shuttle pilot program ...
- Renault announces production of Level 4 autonomous robotized miniBus
Renault made some big announcements overnight, outlining major changes to its autonomous vehicle strategy and announcing ... to be a platform suitable for customization by specialist mobility partners ...
- Kumho targets micro-mobility for NPT
When it comes to the development of nonpneumatic tires, Kumho believes in starting small. Micro, even. That's why the South Korean tire maker is targeting micro-mobility in for the commercialization ...
- Renault/WeRide autonomous vehicle collaboration to be demonstrated
Robotised electric miniBus platform based on Renault Master and conmpany sees annual volumes of 'several thousands' ...
- How racing driverless cars is pushing autonomous technology
The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League showed how hard it is for driverless cars to deal with extreme conditions, but these kind of events could help drive the technology forward.
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Autonomous wheelchair
[google_news title=”” keyword=”autonomous wheelchair” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Laser-guided feedback system
- Researchers elucidate ultrafast laser-induced solid-to-overdense-plasma transitions
The interaction of solids with high-intensity ultra-short laser pulses has enabled major technological breakthroughs over the past half-century. On the one hand, laser ablation of solids offers ...
- Dramatic video shows RAF drop laser-guided bombs in Iraq as UK to send deadly weapon to Ukraine to smash Russian targets
DRAMATIC footage captured the moment RAF Typhoons dropped laser-guided bombs on Iraq as the UK is set to give Ukraine its "go-to" weapons for the first time. The high-precision Paveway IV bombs ...
- What Is Paveway IV? NATO Ally Hands Kyiv Laser-Guided JDAM-Style Bombs
Kyiv will receive guided aerial bombs that will "enable Ukraine to strike back" at Russia after Moscow's own modified ones shattered targets across the Ukrainian front line. Newsweek understands ...
- El Pasoans tee up at Studio Golf's grand opening
A new high-end membership-only golf facility held its grand opening in El Paso on Friday. Studio Golf, a technology-driven golf complex located at 7460 Cimarron Market Ave. in northwest El Paso ...
- Appendix D: Weapons Used in the Air War
GBU-10 Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb (2,000 lb) 236 GBU-12 Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb (500 lb) 7,114 GBU-16 Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb (1,000 lb) 1,233 GBU-24 Paveway III Laser-Guided Bomb ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Laser-guided feedback system
[google_news title=”” keyword=”laser-guided feedback system” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]