[gui-talk] Fwd: Audio Maps for the blind.

[Steve Pattison]

Hi Bob,

I'm not involved in this project myself but the article about the "audio
maps" appears below.  I hope this helps.

Regards Steve.

Prototype system enables the visually impaired to ‘see’ the world with sound
By Jude Garvey
04:35 July 8, 2009 PDT
Sight through sound - CASBliP prototype

If you’re lucky enough to have perfect eye sight, it is incredibly difficult to imagine
what the world is like for a visually impaired person. There have been some
astounding breakthroughs in the development of new technologies to assist the blind which aim to replicate
the function of the eye, but this project takes a totally different approach. The
Cognitive Aid System for Blind People (CASBLiP) uses lasers and digital video images
to create a three-dimensional acoustic map which, when relayed through headphones,
enables users to "see" the world with sound.

Laser and digital video camera images will be used to analyze the distance of obstacles
and help to predict the movement of people and motor vehicles as the user nears them.
This spatial information will then be transformed and presented to the user via headphones
as an "audible map". The signals received via headphones will guide and assist the
user to negotiate and navigate the obstacles and dangers of the outside world. The
user will also wear glasses with miniature video cameras mounted on them. These will
provide the necessary video vision.

Once developed, this is how it will work - as you move around, the sounds received
via headphones will alter and the stereo audio system will enable you to interpret
sounds and then place them in accordance with their distance to you. For example,
as you walk away from an object, the sound will decrease. Walk closer to an object
and the sound will increase. If an object is on your right, you’ll hear it on your
right and you will also be warned via audio tone to get out of the way if something
is headed straight for you.

The CASBliP project has been three years in the making so far and has been made possible by
funding from the European Union (EU). There are a number of universities and blind
institutions involved in the consortium.

Researchers from the University of Bristol used algorithms and real-time image processing
to identify common street objects and obstacles - such as people, trees or street
furniture – to create a “depth map”, capable of calculating distances. This system
is also capable of predicting movement.

Meanwhile, technology was being developed at the University of Laguna in Spain to
make it possible to transform spatial information into three-dimensional acoustic
maps. A gyroscopic sensor developed by the University of Marche in Italy, detects
how the user moves their head. As the user moves position or changes their direction
of their head, the relative position of sounds will also move. If the user turns
toward a sound to their left, the sound will move left towards the sound picture.

Also, the University of Marche worked closely with the Cavazza Institute in Italy
to include a GPS location system into the unit to help complement the other technologies.
This may help to assist a visually impaired person by adding mapping services to
the device, including the ability to add verbal directions to the required destination.

All the developed components will be put together to create a device that "sees"
the world through hearing.

So far, two prototype devices mounted on a helmet have been developed. They have
been tested in real world environments by participants from the German Federation
of the Blind and Partially Sighted and the Francesco Cavazza Institute in Italy.

The first design (M1) uses a laser sensor that was initially developed by Siemens
to detect passengers in cars. The system cannot be seen by others as it is mounted
within glasses and uses infrared light. It is effective for users that are capable
of recognizing familiar items such as trees or people from the sound information
they receive.

A second version (M2) sees two digital video cameras added to either side of a helmet.
This system can predict and detect the movement of objects.
“We know that the technology works,” says Guillermo Peris-Fajarnés, who coordinated
the project from the Research Group on Graphic Technologies at the Universidad Politecnica
de Valencia. “Our tests have been very successful and blind people have been able
to navigate comfortably in controlled tests and even along a normal street.”

“There is still a lot of development work to do before this could go on the market,
especially to prove that the system is 100% reliable,” Peris-Fajarnés notes. “You
can't risk it going wrong while a user is crossing the road.”

If the funding for the project runs out, it is hoped that the consortium will complete
this incredible work with funding from other sources on the way to enriching the
lives of the huge number of people ( 20 million in America alone
 suffering from some form of significant visual impairment.

On Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:37:27 -0400
"Bob Morgenstern" <n3alq at comcast.net> wrote:
> I get to the site but that is where I get the "send-don't send error report 
> messages. Can you tell me anything about audio maps? I would appreciate it. 

Regards Steve
Email:  srp at internode.on.net
MSN Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
Skype:  steve1963