Mobility Aid

Connecting the Blind

Sophmore Capstone- Summer 2010

Matt Gillespie
“I dont want to have to depend
on others to live my life.”
Problem Statement
Design a mobility aid that gives visually impaired travellers a better
understanding of place, fostering confidence to explore the unfamiliar.
Brand Understanding

Benevolent Functional Empowering

HumanWare products are designed to last, to grow with the user,

ttgiving them the independence to compete effectively with peers, to
feel connected – to be a vital part of the global
information age in which we live.
Research
Research
Method Insights

Phone Interviews -Simplicity is essential to the interpretation of haptic data.

Five hours of conversation with a
number of blind people in Cincinnati. -Many blind people have a strong will to remain independent and
enjoy travel.

Mobility Orientation
Mobility Orientation at the Cincinnati
Association for the Blind and Visually
Impaired
-Products created for the blind often fall short in that they enhance
one sense at the expense of another.
-The blind are often dependent on others to show them routes to any
new place they may go.
Establishing Target User

Recently Impaired
The risk of low vision and blindness increases significantly with age,
particularly in those over age 65.
-2004 National Eye Institute

50+
“About 82% of all people who are visually
impaired are age 50 and older”
-World Health Organization

Desire to Explore
“When an individual becomes visually impaired they must make a decision-
wether to seek help in adapting or give up on living life”
-Patty Willits, Visually Impaired Mobility Instructor

15
MILLION
Cataracts account for nearly half of 2/3 of visually impaired people of 15 Million Americans are
all visual impairment. working age are not in the work force blind or visually impaired
Design Requirements

Must improve the experience of exploring a

new area and encourage further exploration.

Must not compromise one sense

to enhance another.

Must escape the stigma of other

products for “disability”.
Initial Laser Cane Concept:
Research found that current mobility canes lack
to ability to sense above waste level, and can be
“I so it can tell me
comberson and on occasion embaressing to use
in crowded areas. The proposed device calculates
proximity to pointed area and creates a relative
the shape of the
sign, so what?
vibrational texture.

I want it to tell me
what it says.” -Cocreator

When introduced, the concept was found to not be a

sollution to the real problems faced by the visually impaired.
Transportation, employment, and wayfinding were
identified as more important aspects of independence
than those addressed by the concept.
New Direction- Trekker
and Breeze
The HumanWare Trekker and Breeze are
handheld talking GPS units. Calling out
routes, points of interest, and current
location. Users can set routes and save
favourite spots. Growing in popularity it
is giving the visually impaired the ability
to explore their surroundings like never
before.

“You are at Main ant 13th...

Intersection in 12 meters”
Trekker Task Analysis

Cumbersome User Interface

Mobility instructors complained that
the Trekker technology has a steep
learning curve.

Over functionality
The PDA functions of the Trekker
(email, word processing) are over-
whelming and rarely used.

Poor GPS Routes

GPS routes used on the system
were created for cars and lack con-
siderati on for existing pedestrian
foot paths.

Water Sensitivities
Users complained that they were
unable to use the device in the rain.
Emerging Technology
Mixed Anniciative Dilogue

Image and Text Recognition

Google Goggles Augmented Reality Smart Phone Application Smartphone Text Translation
Second Concept Development
Why can’t information in augmented
reality be used by the sightless?

I read text...

+
Google Goggles Visual Search Text Reading Cammera Phone
 by

Infrared Diode and Cammera

Silicone Wrist Band

Squeeze-
Start Session
Speaker and Microphone

Features Pont-
Vibrational Feedback

-Universal touchless interface

-Open source route submission Turn Over-

Preview
-Functional with bother cane and dog guide

-Potential Use for Language Translation

Close Hand-
-Versatility with other readers for custom system-partally sighted, blind, or blind deaf Close Session

-Affordance of appearing to be using a phone if desired

What’s Going On Inside
1 Cammera 7 Electronic Tail 13 Processor and Memory 12
2 Infrared Diode 8 Membrain Switch 14 Charging Port
3 Vibrating Motor 9 Speaker 1
4 Three Axis Gyro 10 Microphone

5 Wireless Transmitter/ Reciever 11 Lithium Polymer Battery

6 Flexible Frame Sheet 12 Lens Cover

11

13

14

1 Cammera 7 Electronic Tail 13 Processor and Memory

2 Infrared Diode 8 Membrain Switch 14 Charging Port
 Instution and Retail- The Package
For Instution and The Home

Durable PET Outer for

Institutional Sampling

Laser Cut Tactile Logo

AHI in Action
Paul started steadily loosing vision
a year ago. Now retired, he is
blind, but wishes to continue living
life as he had with sight.
 I need to get to Continue toward marker point.

Peggy’s apartment! Guide me by foot track. Beep. Beep.

Approaching Crescent St. and walking path.

How long by tram? Sharp right at marker.

Approaching Destination

Tram Route- 12 Minutes “tick” 1 Minute Walk

User Submited Foot

Track Available

AHI uses vibration as a simple dirrection guide

toward points of intrest.

Vibration
 AHI uses vibrational signatures on the hand to denote areas of
interest in augmented reality. These areas include landmarks,
businesses, public instutions, and typed text.

“Bills Cafe”

“Business Preview”

Touchless interface makes use intuitive.

Simply squeeze.
 Hum, Duffeyroll?
Tell me more.
Duffeyroll is know for its handcrafted
cinnamon rolls, in its classical store front.
Established in...

A closed fist ends

all sessions

AHI acts as a portal to information collected in augmented reality

databases, a quickly growing wealth of contextual information.
 Duffeyroll- Since 1923
Sure, anything else?
“tick”
Duffy’s Famous Cinnoman Rolls
$2.50

vPSHHH!

AHI allows the visually impaired to identify and access typed text, opening
the world of writen communication.
 Tag this shop!
Duffyroll
I give it a 6 star I love Duffy roll for its exelent rolls
and appetizers, I particullary
review! enjoy the attention to detail in
their cafe areas.- Jince K

AHI proves that there is a place for everyone in this global information age.