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Converting Images Into Sounds for the Blind
prostoalex writes "ACM News Service links to a page on Cornell University Web site that describes a technology developed by researchers to enable blind people to read maps. According to the article, the software package consists of "Java computer code that could translate images into sound, and a rudimentary software program capable of converting pixels of various colors into piano notes of various tones"."
pr0n?
pr0n. (that is a word, right?)
Quid festinatio swallonis est aetherfuga inonusti?
Africus aut Europaeus?
This is mildly off topic, but I'll back you up on a recent experience of mine. I've had some intense sinus pressure on the right side of my face, but no pain. My normal GP (who has served me well) dismissed it initially, but after 8 months did little more than keep offering me decongestants. They didn't really help. We stepped through a few other options, including ear infections and a course of antibiotics. Still nothing. A few times I asked the guy if he could just take a look up my nose, it *felt* like there was something there, on the right hand side.
He wouldn't, just told me it would be fine, it's nothing to worry about.
That leads me to poke around with a pair of tweezers up my nose - you know, it's really surprising how much space you have back there if you really concentrate while you're prodding about, to see what is where.
After a couple of attempts I latched onto something that didn't give any feedback of belonging to me - I couldn't feel the tweezing, and it didn't hurt. Giving it a tug I felt a *big* pressure change in my sinus, and pulled slowly. Out came what has to be the filthiest thing from my head. Two and a half inches long, dark green/brown and stained with a little blood on the end, it was close to the consistency of a pencil eraser in parts, moving to the consistency of jello at one end.
Then came the draining. Gack. What looked like 2 tablespoons of pus ran from my nose, which honestly made me feel physically ill. I like squeezing a zit as much as the next person, but this was just a bit much.
Anyway, after an hour I felt awesome. no more pressure on the side of my face, and I swear my eyes focus a little better than they did before. I took the gel-lump into my doctor, told him what it was, how it happened, how it had fixed all the sinus pressure I'd been having.
He didn't think that was the problem.
Go figure. My situation wasn't problematic. I wasn't in pain, I didn't have any long term damage to my health, but still a doctor when presented with symptoms and requests from a patient and ignores them, even when the final cause is discovered isn't someone to keep around, so I changed docs and told him why. Give each doc a good go at solving a problem, but if they insist on sticking on a point that really doesn't feel right, do change.
This has been done before!
FIRST!
I remember seeing a few 'black boxes' (Sparc 20's to be vaguely specific) that were running some fairly interesting algorithms (around the 1997/98 ish era) that would identify logo's from various transmissions, mostly faxes, thus identifying the sending entity.
It was more miss than hit, though I'm sure the recognition software has improved since then, it still relied upon a mathmatic description of the original image, much the same as a voice print.
This was before I defected from Military to civil defence.
Consult wiki and ye shall receive http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slashdot_subculture The most commonly accepted origin of this phrase appeared in the May 7, 2000 Simpsons episode "Last Tap Dance in Springfield". In the episode, the phrase is used when Professor Frink makes a pair of self-tap-dancing shoes for Lisa. After she dances, he points out that they were really in the "off" position, and that she had tap-danced by herself. Homer replies, "What are you talking about, Professor Frink? They're clearly in the 'on' position. See? 'On'." Professor Frink then says, "I was merely trying to spare the girl's feelings, you insensitive clod."
I believe it is called braille. And it isn't new.
I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!