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Prototype Vehicle For the Blind

Posted by timothy on from the this-needs-a-playstation-analog-too dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A student team from Virginia Tech Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory have created a vehicle which allows the blind to drive. The vehicle uses a laser range finder to determine distances and alerts the driver through voice commands and vibration. Tomorrow [Friday] morning, the vehicle will have its first public test drive at the University of Maryland. At last, Braille on drive-up ATMs may finally be vindicated."

19 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. first to say by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I didn't see this one coming.

  2. What, what? by flydpnkrtn · · Score: 4, Funny

    Had to dust off the ol' "whatcouldpossiblygowrong" tag for this one...

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    Here's to the crazy ones
    1. Re:What, what? by Anonymous+CowHardon · · Score: 5, Funny

      How are they going to know when I flip them the bird? Do I have to make chirping noises?

  3. Hmm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Will be interesting to see how they vehicle interfaces with the traffic lights system... What could possibly go wrong?

    1. Re:Hmm... by istartedi · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think that'd be the easy part. A camera with Image processing for lane alignment and the same image every time. The lane alignment was actually my senior thesis--in 1993. It was just software, and I only tested it with one test set, so I have no idea how reliable it would have been. It was nowhere near real time either. I had no access to digital video. I had to rely on one test set, and I have no idea how they got the digitized frames. I imagine the reliability of the image processing has advanced; but I know the cost of digital capture devices has certainly come way down.

      At present, I tend to share the "what could possibly go wrong" sentiment; but at some point in the future we may find automated systems to be more reliable than humans. Before we put it on cars though, we should get it working on trains. In theory, that's an easier problem; but we still have problems with automated trains.

      I don't have data to back it up; but it seems like more train accidents are happening in manual mode now. In particular, an Amtrak accident last year (operator texting) and a recent San Francisco muni crash (operator had put train in manual). The last time I recall hearing about a train accident in automatic was on DC's metro system. It was during a snowstorm. IIRC, The operator was attempting to put the train in manual, but the system wouldn't allow it.. It was out of service, and the operator was the only fatality. That was in 1996 though.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    2. Re:Hmm... by Nethemas+the+Great · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I really do not understand the point. If one can make a feedback system capable of effectively and intelligently guiding a blind person it wouldn't be necessary... Just make the car capable of driving itself. A sighted person has a hard enough time interpreting and reacting to evolving situations around them. Responding to vibrations and voice alerts is most certainly slower.

      --
      Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once ... with negative results.
  4. Even the blind... by GhostGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Even the blind can see that this is a bad idea. And they don't need voice commands and vibrations to do it.

    1. Re:Even the blind... by Alarindris · · Score: 4, Funny

      Even the blind can see that this is a bad idea.

      No, they can't.

  5. holy crap by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I hope they never allow these things on public roads with blind drivers. Handicapped accesibility is good and all but we shouldn't risk handicapping more people for it. Seriously, the driving is dangerous enough with a bunch of idiots who can see just fine.

    --
    "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
  6. All good, but... by heretic108 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...the driver had better concentrate on the guidance system and not be distracted by any scent of a woman.

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    -- In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was UNSIGNED, and the main(){} was without form and void...
  7. Blind people are already driving.... by syousef · · Score: 4, Funny

    ....in my neighbourhood. That and/or terminally stupid. What else would you call not stopping for a red light at a busy intersection?

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    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    1. Re:Blind people are already driving.... by Amouth · · Score: 4, Funny

      natural selection - making an attempt.

      --
      '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  8. OT: A Word on Braille on Drive-up ATMs by prichardson · · Score: 4, Informative

    Q: What's the only thing more moronic than having braille on a drive-up ATM?

    A: Manufacturing two different keypads when one does just fine and incurring the costs to do so.

    In other words, having braille on all ATMs doesn't hurt anyone, even if it's an ATM that would be otherwise impractical for a visually impaired person.

    --
    Help I'm a rock.
  9. Cyclists Go Squish? by VaticDart · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For some reason, as someone who gets around almost entirely by bicycle, this seems like an incredibly bad idea to me.

  10. but by RuBLed · · Score: 4, Funny

    you can feel it from a mile away.

  11. The reason for braille on drive-up ATMs by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 4, Informative

    People cite braille on drive-up ATMs as political correctness gone crazy or the ludicrousness of government regulation, but the real reason that there is braille on drive-up ATMs is that it's not cost-effective to make two sets of ATM machines, one with braille and one without, especially since the braille has absolutely no effect on the way the machine functions. A second, braille-free model would just be for cosmetic reasons.

    --
    http://twitter.com/OLDTELEGRAM
  12. Next idea by marjancek · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think this is great. Now, I hope they create something women will be able to drive.

  13. Objects in the rear view mirror... by porter235 · · Score: 5, Funny

    may be closer than they feel.

  14. Re:smoke and mirrors... by AI0867 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Don't worry! We have recently invented a vehicle that allows you to drive without sight!