[Nfbf-l] FW: [OandM] Fw: What will they think of next?

[elizabeth McNally]

Could a live demo be put on you tube?

John Clap

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/images/MSNBC/msnbc_ban.gif  MSNBC.com
<http://msnbc.com/> 


Students create cane with e-tags to guide blind 

Technology is similar to what retailers put on products to prevent theft

By David N. Goodman 

 

The Associated Press

updated 7:13 p.m. CT, Mon., Aug 3, 2009

DETROIT - A cane equipped with the technology that retailers use to tag
merchandise could help blind people avoid obstacles.

An engineering professor and five students at Central Michigan University
have created a "Smart Cane" to read electronic navigational tags installed
between buildings to aid the blind in reaching their destinations more
easily.

"This project started as a way for me to teach students to see and
understand the ways that engineering can be used for the greater good," said
Kumar Yelamarthi, the professor and project leader. "We wanted to do
something that would help people and make our campus more accessible."

During the spring term, Yelamarthi and five senior engineering students
tested the cane, which is equipped with Radio Frequency Identification
technology, similar to what retailers put on products to keep them from
being stolen.

The Smart Cane contains an ultrasonic sensor that is paired with a miniature
navigational system inside a messenger-style bag worn across the shoulder.

For the test, the students installed identification tags between two
buildings on the campus in Mount Pleasant , Mich. A speaker located on the
bag strap gave audio alerts when the system detected an obstacle and told
the user which direction to move.

Students wearing glasses that simulate visual impairment tested the cane.

The students also created a vibrating glove to assist those who are both
visually and hearing-impaired.

Yelamarthi said it's one of the first outdoor applications of RFID and said
he plans for students in upcoming classes to further refine the system while
he seeks grants to speed the research.

The next step probably involves using the system in a wider area. Down the
line, Yelamarthi wants to work toward integrating the Smart Cane's data with
GPS.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32276381/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/ 
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