[Blindtlk] Fwd: Article from Minneapolis Star-Tribune Science And Technology 2010 07 02

Wed Jul 7 20:48:59 UTC 2010

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On 7/4/10, Dewey Bradley <dewey.bradley at att.net> wrote:
> This is neat.
> I just wonder how this would work out in the country, Were I'm from and were
> my stepdad still lives is about a mile from the paved road, out where cell
> phones don't work.
> That would be nice to go home by my self, but going out in the woods has a
> hole new set of challenges, like potholes and animals.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
> To: <nfb-announce at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2010 1:29 PM
> Subject: [Blindtlk] Fwd: Article from Minneapolis Star-Tribune Science And
> Technology 2010 07 02
>
>
>
>>From: NFB-NEWSLINE Online <nfbnewsline at nfb.org>
>>To: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
>>Subject: Article from Minneapolis Star-Tribune Science And Technology 2010
>>07 02
>>Date: Sun,
>>   4 Jul 2010 00:51:42 -0400 (EDT)
>>
>>That driver must be blind! Someday he may be; group to show high-tech car
>>the blind can drive     By KEN THOMAS ,  Associated Press
>>WASHINGTON - Could a blind person drive a car? Researchers are trying to
>>make that far-fetched notion a reality. The National Federation of the
>>Blind and Virginia Tech plan to demonstrate a prototype vehicle next year
>>equipped with technology that helps a blind person drive a car
>>independently. The technology, called "nonvisual interfaces," uses sensors
>>to let a blind driver maneuver a car based on information transmitted to
>>him about his surroundings: whether another car or object is nearby, in
>>front of him or in a neighboring lane. Advocates for the blind consider it
>>a "moon shot," a goal similar to President John F. Kennedy's pledge to land
>>
>>a man on the moon. For many blind people, driving a car long has been
>>considered impossible. But researchers hope the project could revolutionize
>>
>>mobility and challenge long-held assumptions about limitations. We're
>>exploring areas that have previously been regarded as unexplorable," said
>>Dr. Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind. We're
>>moving away from the theory that blindness ends the capacity of human
>>beings to make contributions to society. The Baltimore-based organization
>>was announcing its plans for the vehicle demonstration at a news conference
>>
>>Friday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Maurer first talked about building an
>>automobile that the blind could drive about a decade ago when he launched
>>the organization's research institute. Some people thought I was crazy and
>>they thought, 'Why do you want us to raise money for something that can't
>>be done? Others thought it was a great idea," Maurer said. Some people were
>>
>>incredulous. Others thought the idea was incredible. The vehicle has its
>>roots in Virginia Tech's 2007 entry into the DARPA Grand Challenge, a
>>competition for driverless vehicles funded by the Defense Department's
>>research arm. The university's team won third place for a self-driving
>>vehicle that used sensors to perceive traffic, avoid crashing into other
>>cars and objects and run like any other vehicle. Following their success,
>>Virginia Tech's team responded to a challenge from the National Federation
>>of the Blind to help build a car that could be driven by a blind person.
>>Virginia Tech first created a dune buggy as part of a feasibility study
>>that used sensor lasers and cameras to act as the eyes of the vehicle. A
>>vibrating vest was used to direct the driver to speed up, slow down or make
>>
>>turns. The blind organization was impressed by the results and urged the
>>researchers to keep pushing. The results will be demonstrated next January
>>on a modified Ford Escape sport utility vehicle at the Daytona
>>International Speedway before the Rolex 24 race. The latest vehicle will
>>use nonvisual interfaces to help a blind driver operate the car. One
>>interface, called DriveGrip, uses gloves with vibrating motors on areas
>>that cover the knuckles. The vibrations signal to the driver when and where
>>
>>to turn. Another interface, called AirPix, is a tablet about half the size
>>of a sheet of paper with multiple air holes, almost like those found on an
>>air hockey game. Compressed air coming out of the device helps inform the
>>driver of his or her surroundings, essentially creating a map of the
>>objects around a vehicle. It would show whether there's another vehicle in
>>a nearby lane or an obstruction in the road. A blind person, who has not
>>yet been chosen, will drive the vehicle on a course near the famed Daytona
>>race track and attempt to simulate a typical driving experience. Dr. Dennis
>>
>>Hong, a mechanical engineering professor at Virginia Tech who leads the
>>research, said the technology could someday help a blind driver operate a
>>vehicle but could also be used on conventional vehicles to make them safer
>>or on other applications. Advocates for the blind say it will take time
>>before society accepts the potential of blind drivers and that the safety
>>of the technology will need to be proven through years of testing. But more
>>
>>than anything, they say it's part of a broader mission to change the way
>>people perceive the blind. Mark Riccobono, executive director of the NFB's
>>Jernigan Institute, said when he walks down the street with his 3-year-old
>>son, many people might think he, as a blind person, is being guided by his
>>son. The idea that a 3-year-old takes care of me stems from what they think
>>
>>about blindness," Riccobono said. That will change when people see that we
>>can do something that they thought was impossible."   ___   Online:
>>National Federation of the Blind:  http://www.nfb.org/nfb/Default.asp     ©
>>
>>2010 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.               .
>>
>>This article is provided to you as a courtesy of NFB-NEWSLINE® Online for
>>your sole use. The content of this E-mail is protected under copyright law,
>>
>>and is not to be distributed in any manner to others; infringement of our
>>non-dissemination agreement is strictly prohibited.
>>
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>>Thank you.
>>
>>The NFB-NEWSLINE® Team.
>
>                          David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
> Follow me on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920
>
>
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