There are various reasons for a person to turn blind, from age, accidents to diseases and strokes. Thanks to the massive renaissance in science and technology, there are many gadgets available for the blind, to help them ease their daily chores and live their lives normally.
The core functionality of our body is to live and enjoy through our five senses. These are ears to hear, tongue to taste, nose to smell, nerves to feel touch/pressure and eyes for sight. But not all are fortunate to have all five senses intact.
Loss of sight or blindness is a condition in which a person’s view becomes partially or completely damaged and cannot be corrected by wearing spectacles. There are various reasons for a person to turn blind, from age, accidents to diseases and strokes. Thanks to the massive renaissance in science and technology, there are many gadgets available for the blind, to help them ease their daily chores and live their lives normally. With these gadgets, blindness will no longer hinder them from pursuing their dreams.
Here is a list of devices designed specifically to ease the visually impaired:
1. Sensor Embedded Sticks
Walking on streets is not easy for blind people. They use a stick to make sound by tapping as they walk to get an idea of the terrain on which they are walking. But now we have i-sticks. These sticks are built with lenses at the end that convert the images received into electronic signals. The stick vibrates, alerting the blind people when are near uneven terrain such potholes or staircase.
2. Color Sensors With Sound
Vision impairment doesn’t mean you leave your style. This is a colour reader that detects the colour underneath it and then translates them into voice signals. It might not be very helpful for people who are blind since birth, but others who have suffered a loss at a later stage can benefit a lot.
3. Sign Convertors
A major problem with deaf and blind people is the communication barrier between them and the rest of the world. Not many people know sign language, and the gestures can vary from region to region. This could lead to a whole lot of miscommunication. This gadget has a dual functionality wherein it converts gestures to voice, and voice signals to speech. You can even select a language of your choice for easier communication. The device is light in weight and worn as a pendant.
4. E-Braille
Visually impaired people read through braille script, in which letters are embossed in dotted rectangular blocks. It was printed on paper, but now we have ibrailler tablets. This is not as advanced as an actual tablet but lets the user type, edit, read or surf the internet. The user only needs to place their eight or ten fingers, and a voice over integration will help them guide to apps or use other functionalities. It is now available on mobile too.
5. Artificial eyes
A concept which became the plot of ‘Blind Dating,’ 2006, is now actually reality. The visual prosthesis is a complicated and slightly expensive procedure but helps the blind see the world again. The patient is required to go through a surgery where a device is inserted in their retina. This device gets activated when the accompanying glasses are worn. These glasses have the camera built in them. When turned on, the patient sees the object in front of them in the contrast of light and darkness. Research is being conducted to enhance the quality and provide coloured imagery to the user.
Apart from these, there are magnetic cups, a sensor built shoes, blind watches and even flash cards to help the blind feel as normal as they can in their day to day life.
Keyword: Visually impaired
LSI: Gadgets for blind, science and technology, istick, braille, tablets, blind watches, Visual prosthesis, sign convertors, sensor embedded sticks, blind, blindness
Reference:
http://weburbanist.com/2010/04/05/12-ingenious-gadgets-technologies-for-the-blind/
http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/blind-technologies/
