When people are blind, navigating the world involves more than avoiding physical obstacles. Just as important is navigating your social relationships, which can be a challenge when you're not always sure who's around you. Researchers at Birmingham City University, in the UK, are attempting to solve that issue with a new cane design that will help the visually impaired recognize people from up to 32 feet away.
The researchers -- Waheed Rafiq, Steve Adigbo, and Richard Howlett -- are creating the XploR, a "smart" cane that's equipped with a camera, facial recognition software, and GPS. The camera, located just below the handle, has a 270-degree lens for capturing as much of the user's environment as possible. The software built into the cane draws on a database of photos pulled from services like Gmail and Outlook, and people can add as many faces to the database as they want by snapping a photo with the cane's camera.
As soon as the camera notices a person, its software will begin scanning the face to see if there's a match. If the scanned images matches a portrait in the database, the corresponding name and location will be fed back to the cane carrier via a Bluetooth to send information.
Rafiq says the additional features, like GPS, will allow people with weak eyesight to know directions more easily. The same image-capture technique could help the blind identify and move around common physical obstacles, too.
Although a cane is cheap, a high-tech one could be expensive. Danielson says, "The technology, whether made into a cane or another device, has potential to solve a real problem experienced by blind people, particularly at large social gatherings or networking events." Because it's one thing to get from point A to point B safely. It's a whole other thing to be able to say hello to the people you know while you do it.
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