[Nfbf-l] "The EyeCane designed to augment, or possibly in the distant future, replace the traditional White Cane by adding information at greater distances

[Alan Dicey]

Dear Friends,
Wow!
I love advancements in technology, I even think there will be a "Technical 
Solution" to cure Blindness, sooner than for example as oppose to Gene or 
Stem Cell therapy, but I myself simply cannot imagine leaving  my house 
without my White Cane.
I would literally feel naked!
But read this article and"See" what you think.
no Pun on words intended there  - Smile)
I did not go to the web site, but as with all new technology, including the 
Retina Chip, what is the cost?
It might be simply way out of our reach.
This is not the first article I have come across over the past couple of 
years, on this particular organization developing this technology, so they 
have been at it for some time now.
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Florida

"The EyeCane was designed to augment, or possibly in the distant future, 
replace the traditional White Cane by adding information at greater 
distances
White Canes provide low-tech assistance to the visually impaired, but some 
blind people object to their use because they are cumbersome, fail to detect 
elevated obstacles, or require long training periods to master. Electronic 
travel aids (ETAs) have the potential to improve navigation for the blind, 
but early versions had disadvantages that limited widespread adoption.
A new ETA, the "EyeCane," developed by a team of researchers at The Hebrew 
University of Jerusalem, expands the world of its users, allowing them to 
better estimate distance, navigate their environment, and avoid obstacles, 
according to a new study published in Restorative Neurology and 
Neuroscience.
"The EyeCane was designed to augment, or possibly in the more distant 
future, replace the traditional White Cane by adding information at greater 
distances (5 meters) and more angles, and most importantly by eliminating 
the need for contacts between the cane and the user's surroundings [which 
makes its use difficult] in cluttered or indoor environments," says Amir 
Amedi, PhD, Associate Professor of Medical Neurobiology at The Israel-Canada 
Institute for Medical Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The EyeCane translates point-distance information into auditory and tactile 
cues. The device is able to provide the user with distance information 
simultaneously from two different directions: directly ahead for long 
distance perception and detection of waist-height obstacles and pointing 
downward at a 45° angle for ground-level assessment. The user scans a target 
with the device, the device emits a narrow beam with high spatial resolution 
toward the target, the beam hits the target and is returned to the device, 
and the device calculates the distance and translates it for the user 
interface. The user learns intuitively within a few minutes to decode the 
distance to the object via sound frequencies and/or vibration amplitudes.
Recent improvements have streamlined the device so its size is 4 x 6 x 12 
centimeters with a weight of less than 100 grams. "This enables it to be 
easily held and pointed at different targets, while increasing battery 
 life," says Prof. Amedi.
The authors conducted a series of experiments to evaluate the usefulness of 
the device for both blind and blindfolded sighted individuals. The aim of 
the first experiment was to see if the device could help in distance 
estimation. After less than five minutes of training, both blind and 
blindfolded individuals were able to estimate distance successfully almost 
70% of the time, and the success rate surpassed 80% for two of the three 
blind participants. "It was amazing seeing how this additional distance 
changed their perception of their environment," notes Shachar Maidenbaum, 
one of the researchers on Prof. Amedi's team. One user described it as if 
her hand was suddenly on the far side of the room, expanding her world.
A second experiment looked at whether the EyeCane could help individuals 
navigate an unfamiliar corridor by measuring the number of contacts with the 
walls. Those using a White Cane made an average of 28.2 contacts with the 
wall, compared to three contacts with the EyeCane - a statistically 
significant tenfold reduction. A third experiment demonstrated that the 
EyeCane also helped users avoid chairs and other naturally occurring 
obstacles placed randomly in the surroundings.
"One of the key results we show here is that even after less than five 
minutes of training, participants were able to complete the tasks 
successfully," says Prof. Amedi. "This short training requirement is very 
significant, as it make the device much more user friendly. Every one of our 
blind users wanted to take the device home with them after the experiment, 
and felt they could immediately contribute to their everyday lives," adds 
Maidenbaum.
The Amedi lab is also involved in other projects for helping people who are 
blind. In another recent publication in Restorative Neurology and 
Neuroscience they introduced the EyeMusic, which offers much more 
information, but requires more intensive training. "We see the two 
technologies as complementary" says Prof. Amedi. You would use the EyeMusic 
to recognize landmarks or an object and use the EyeCane to get to it safely 
while avoiding collisions.
For more information visit the Amedi lab website at
http://brain.huji.ac.il
where you can also experience an online virtual demonstration of the device.
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