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Researchers Develop $60 Sonar Watch To Aid the Visually Impaired

Posted by samzenpus on from the daredevil-watch dept.

Taffykay writes Biology and computer science students and professors at Wake Forest University have teamed up to develop a device to assist the visually impaired. Following the principles of echolocation used by bats and moths, the interdisciplinary team has developed a watch-like unit that allows the wearer to navigate their environment using sonar. To make the project even more remarkable, all the parts and materials for the prototype cost less than $60.

16 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Too Little, Too Late by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    I don't think a sonar watch will prevent the blind guy on my morning commute from whacking people and utility poles with his cane.

    1. Re:Too Little, Too Late by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      LOL ... you really think he doesn't know you're there?

      He's just messing with you.

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      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    2. Re:Too Little, Too Late by jellomizer · · Score: 2

      Echo location isn't about removing the blind persons need for a cane, even with people who are good at it are still recommended to use a cane because things like grates, poles, or holes do not work well with echo location. As the sound passed threw it and back.
      What it does mean is with the aid of a cane and the watch they will be able to move more quickly with more assurance that there isn't something big going to be in the way.

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      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    3. Re:Too Little, Too Late by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      I make sure to stand behind a utility pole when he leaves the bus stop. He whacks people and utiltiy poles with equal pleasure.

  2. Hah, I had the same idea. by bigattichouse · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Mine's more like a flashlight, and vibrates based on distance. I have an idea for something better, but haven't had time to work on it.

    https://twitter.com/bigatticho...

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    meh
    1. Re:Hah, I had the same idea. by Huge_Euge · · Score: 1

      I whipped up a very similar prototype a few years ago. The vibration frequency was proportional to distance, and edges were highlighted with sharp jolts. The hope was that you could build a mental map of your surroundings by sweeping the sensor around. The ultimate downfall was the ultrasonic range finders. You need a narrow beam to be able to get any kind of reasonable spatial resolution, however, whenever you hit any sonicaly specular surface (i.e. a flat wall) at an angle that's not very close to perpendicular, the outgoing ping just bounces off to the side, instead of coming back to the detector, giving you a false negative. Which translated into running into walls that are 45 degrees to you. So until we get cheap, robust LIDAR sensors, the idea is mostly a waste of time.

  3. NC Research by Scottingham · · Score: 1

    Say what you will about NC politics (and, shit, there is a lot to be said), we pump out some top-notch research! Wake Forest, Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State seem to continually be in the science section headlines for some new something or other.

    It's also a shame that the NCAA bullshit is putting a cloud over all the hard working researchers at UNC.

    1. Re:NC Research by Scottingham · · Score: 1

      Hah, thanks for the info...I didn't even RTFA ;-) Wake Forest is doing some incredible artificial organ research though.

    2. Re:NC Research by bigattichouse · · Score: 1

      I know the part well.. you actually get about 5 meters fairly accurately... but soft materials and echos can mess up the flight time sensing.

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      meh
  4. Re:Nice, but seems we could have better. by safetyinnumbers · · Score: 1

    Yes, I first heard of similar devices decades ago. Back in the 70s, I think, there were handheld units and I remember seeing a sonar system built into spectacle frames (I don't know if it was a practical design, not sure how it was powered).

    I think that the story here is that it's cheap and built into a watch, although I'd have thought that a handheld device would still be better for aiming as well as battery life.

  5. Cheap? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

    all the parts and materials for the prototype cost less than $60.

    And something was 3D-printed, right? Or was it $60 in Bitcoins? ... Arduino?

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  6. Something like it already on KickStarter by cmeans · · Score: 1

    https://www.kickstarter.com/pr...

    Though it's not got much support as yet (I am a backer).

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    1. Re:Something like it already on KickStarter by cmeans · · Score: 1

      I just happened to see it listed as a new project, and as I've done Audio Description in the past, it peaked my interest. Saddened that it hasn't garnered much support but maybe it's because others don't have confidence in the tech/implementation.

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      Give a hand, not a hand-out.
  7. a bit ironic to call it a "watch" by sonciwind · · Score: 2

    That's all I've got to say.

  8. Re:Really, really lame. by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 1

    Noisy environments would render a clicker pretty useless.

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    People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
  9. Waiting for Apple's version by BKDotCom · · Score: 1

    this isn't news until Apple reveals a $399 version.

    then zomg! gotta have!