Tag Archive

Squibble portable Braille interface is clever, beautiful

We’ve been seeing some interesting devices aimed at making life easier for the blind recently, but none that have captured our attention quite like the Squibble from UK designer Andrew Mitchell. The pocketable Braille interface allows users to operate mobile phones and other technology over Bluetooth, using 779 ultrasonic motors to lift illuminated caps against a silicon cover and form Braille letters and other easy-to-understand icons. There’s also audio feedback, and a grip that allows for use without having to set it down flat like other Braille readers. Pretty ingenious stuff — and Andrew says development is “advanced,” so hopefully this will go from concept to real product relatively soon.

Squibble portable Braille interface is clever, beautiful originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt gets driver-activated warning system for the blind

Whether it’s voluntary or enforced, it seems to be a safe bet that most electric vehicles will eventually break their silence in one way or another to warn nearby pedestrians — especially the blind. Chevrolet looks to be taking a slightly different approach than most with the Volt, however, and it recently tested out its system with a group of visually-impaired folks at its Milford Proving Grounds. Rather than simply making the vehicle sound like a regular car, Chevy has implemented a driver-activated system that emits what’s described as more of an “excuse me” sound than “hey you” sound whenever you want to warn people you’re approaching. Of course, depending on the driver does have its limitations, and Chevy says that future iterations of the Volt are likely to incorporate a more active system that can automatically alert pedestrians. Check it out in action after the break.

Continue reading Chevrolet Volt gets driver-activated warning system for the blind

Chevrolet Volt gets driver-activated warning system for the blind originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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British surgeons using radiation beams to halt macular degeneration

We’ve seen more eyesight restoration efforts than we could easily count, but rather than tooting their horn about some theoretical discovery, boffins at Kings College Hospital in London are actually putting their hard work to use on real, live human brings. The new process, which goes by the name brachytherapy, is a one-off treatment for macular degeneration. In essence, surgeons carefully light up a beam of radiation within the eye for just over three minutes, which kills harmful cells without damaging anything else. A trial is currently underway in order to restore eyesight in some 363 patients, and everything thus far leads us to believe that the process is both safe and effective. As for costs? The procedure currently runs £6,000 ($9,889), but that’s still not awful when you consider that existing treatments involving injections run £800 per month. Hop past the break for a video report.

Continue reading British surgeons using radiation beams to halt macular degeneration

British surgeons using radiation beams to halt macular degeneration originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)

While we’re busying ourselves with arguing about how to replace the perfectly usable book gadget, Intel is right to point out that plenty of people, for whatever reason, can’t read at all. Presenting its Reader as a necessity rather than luxury, Intel has shown off its vision for how visually impaired and dyslexic people can obtain access to the written word. Combining a text-scanning camera with a text-to-speech engine (powered by an Atom inside) is certainly no bad idea, but as the video beyond the break will show you, Intel’s execution isn’t exactly stellar. The arrhythmic, robotic reading from Alice In Wonderland left us shaken, but what floored us was the $1,499 asking price. Yes, it’s a customized niche device, but we reckon we could build something similar for a third of the price. Full PR and video after the break.

Continue reading Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video)

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Handhelds

Intel Reader reads books to the lazy and infirm (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Japan, nerds control girls with joysticks

For some of you, like this guy (look at his face!), this is a dream come true, no questions asked. The rest will be wondering what the hell is going on here. See, that bicycle helmet affixed with what looks like a robotic crab is a not so subtle, ear tugging navigational device that could ultimately benefit the sight-impaired or anyone, really — it pulls on the left ear to direct the wearer to the left, on the right to go right. Simple. Granted, it looks ridiculous now, but imagine it miniaturized under a tin-foil helmet and communicating with a hands- and eyes-free GPS navigational system. You’ve just seen the future, how does it feel?

Filed under: GPS, Wearables

In Japan, nerds control girls with joysticks originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MIT students develop new 6dot braille labelmaker prototype

A group of students at MIT have just unveiled a new prototype of a braille labelmaker / printer, the 6dot. Though not the first, the MIT group’s model is apparently more advanced, easier to use, and cheaper than currently available models. Designed with the blind and visually impaired in mind, the labelmaker features an around the neck strap, and six buttons (for each of the dots of a braille character), allowing quick production of accurate labels, including contractions. The internal processor of the device can store up to 16 characters, and “prints” the characters onto adhesive label paper, which the user can then affix for easy identification of household items, such as medications, canned goods, and so on. Though it’s still in prototype phase, it’s possible the device could cost as little as $200 when it does hit the market.

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household, Science

MIT students develop new 6dot braille labelmaker prototype originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: doctors implant tooth into eye, restore sight, creep everyone out

digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/health/Video_doctors_implant_tooth_into_eye_restore_sight_creep’; Osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis. It’s a real procedure that really does revive people’s ability to see, yet we get the feeling that people will be more, um, excited about how it’s done than why it’s done. The seemingly Mary Shelley-inspired doctors extract a tooth from a blind person and drill a hole through it, where a prosthetic lens is placed, and the resulting macabre construction is implanted into the blind person’s eye. The tooth is necessary as the body would reject an artificial base. It’s not at all pretty, and it cannot repair every type of blindness, but it’s still a major step forward. To hear from Sharron Thornton, the first American to have undergone the procedure, check the video after the break, but only if you can handle mildly graphic content — you’ve been warned.

[Via Daily Tech]

Continue reading Video: doctors implant tooth into eye, restore sight, creep everyone out

Filed under: Science

Video: doctors implant tooth into eye, restore sight, creep everyone out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crazy but real: Device lets blind people see using their tongue

Invention of the year? Quite possibly! It’s the BrainPort, and it, in effect, gives blind people the ability to see by using the nerve endings on their tongue. It sounds weird, yes.

BrainPort lets you see with your tongue, might actually make it to market

We first saw the crazy BrainPort in 2006, but the intervening time hasn’t been wasted by its developers, who’ve brought the quirky visual aid to the cusp of commercial viability. If you’ll recall, the device translates signals from a head-mounted camera to electrical pulses that lightly zap your tongue in response to visual stimuli — early results have shown people can regain a good bit of their spatial awareness and even read large writing. The next step is FDA approval, which is expected by year’s end, meaning that the BrainPort could arrive as early as 2010. There is a steep entry fee though, with prices expected to begin at $10,000, but the very fact you’ll be able to buy it is a milestone in our book. Edifying video after the break.

[Thanks, Toy]

Continue reading BrainPort lets you see with your tongue, might actually make it to market

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

BrainPort lets you see with your tongue, might actually make it to market originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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