Technology
Breakthrough for the Blind: Scientists Develop Vest That Can ‘See’
- Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:27pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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Could seeing eye dogs soon be replaced by…vests? In what could be a major breakthrough for the blind, USC school of engineering has developed a vest that, when worn, can navigate a person safely through their environment. Much like GPS, the system plots out a course pre-selected by each wearer. Stereo-vision cameras attached to the unit perceive depth and guide users along their selected route. The vest also includes vibration motors that alert the wearer if they’ve deviated off their charted courses.
Developers of the vest soon hope to refine the size and make the product available to the public.
Reuters provides the video:
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lylejk
Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:36amDon’t see this one replace a seeing eye dog any time soon. A dog can make decisions based on all aspects of it’s surroundings. This device looks quite only 2 dimensional to me and we live in a 3D world. :)
Report Post »randerson503
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 3:37pmHow exactly does a blind person pre-select a route? Seems like a fatal flaw.
Report Post »Bernard
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 4:34pmIncredible what Science can do. I still remember the statement made by the US patent office director at the turn of the 20th century. To paraphrase what he stated “All that can be invented has been invented and there is nothing more…” since then we have gone through the Nuclear age, genetics, computers, space science, just to name a few
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 12:11amNow they can put these devices on the new battlefield robots to kill everybody more effectively.
Report Post »freemama
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:47pmMy mother has lost most of her vision. A vest like this, fine tuned and miniaturized somehow would give her more freedom!
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:38pmI am loosing my eyesight, so this is very interesting to me. It will have to be cuter for me to wear it. :) Great job!
Report Post »STQ
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:37pmmy replies did not follow the comment I meant them for
Report Post »STQ
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:34pmJesus healed a man’s blind eyes.
Report Post »Steev
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:33pmLooks very expensive, the blind don’t work – so, a, who’s gonna pay for it ? You take this thing in the rain it shorts out, Fido just smells like wet dog. The blind don’t usually have many friends but Fido is always there – i doubt the vest is going to provide much companionship, protection or early warning if theres a fellow pedestrian intent on doing you harm ! On a scale of 1 to 5 i’ll give it a 1 & 1/2 for “ good intentions ” but as an overall score it’s a fail because “ TECHNOLOGY CAN NEVER REPLACE AN ANIMAL ” !
Report Post »fifthgenmick
Posted on July 7, 2011 at 5:54pmSteev, with all due respect, your attitude and beliefs about the blind are out of touch with reality. This new technology may or may not pan out, but the those with blindness work and have many friends other than dogs. Here in Louisiana, there is an amazing school in Ruston that trains the blind to do some amazing things. I went to school with a guy who was totally blind that did skydiving, waterskiing, and played the drums quite well. He was independant and had a lot of friends.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:31pm.
Report Post »Well if would fix stupid they might have something……….
wewantchillywilly
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 10:43pmyou know what also didn’t contribute to this discovery? doubting the power of the individual mind: liberalism is all about control of the individual because liberals believe individuals cannot think for themselves.
Report Post »FANGS
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 10:42pmGod Helps his people every day. Bless You people for working so hard to help the blind. God will reward you ten fold.
Report Post »ofallon
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 10:26pmExcellent! I hope they get the Nobel Prize so they can have more money to perfect their miracle discovery.
Report Post »STQ
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:35pmObama might donate his.Not!
Report Post »confederacyofdunces
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 10:12pmI wish.
Report Post »justhefax
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 9:57pmGood thing we have those scientists – you know the ones who believe in evolution.
God sure doesn’t help the blind.
He just helps by giving creative minds to those that invent.
Report Post »joey59
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 11:06amWhat a ninny. Of course those who believe in God also believe in some of the sciences. But the theories behind evolution and most of the global warming crap. Not no way, no how will we EVER be convinced. Have a great day.
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:40pmOBAMA PLUS 4 equal AMERICA NO MORE
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:36pmIncredible, just incredible 0 I wish the best in making this workable for so many people who can be helped out.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:35pmI bet a guy with a white cane or seeing eye dog could challenge that contraption to a race and beat it.
Report Post »lemmings4obama
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 1:31pmYes guy, good job. I’m glad that you pulled that out of the story. The contraption as no way to move on it’s own, of course it would lose. *shakes head slowly* Mossbrain isn’t just a clever name is it.
Report Post »NuffSaid
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:32pmGot one that’ll work on liberals?
Report Post »STQ
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:33pmfunny…no disrespect to the blind
Report Post »snidley-whiplash
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 1:53amShove one up obamas butt…..maybe he will find the way out!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »kapnkd
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 2:21pmGood one!! ….Geez, I’m still laughing!
Report Post »Witness1974
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 2:31amBeat me to it. However a vest for liberals needs not only sight, but rationality.
Report Post »geonj
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 8:30pmamazing
Report Post »jmbogstad
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 10:23pmThat is pretty cool, no telling wghat they will do with technology yet. If we can imagine it, we can eventually build it. Check out this video of another clever invention
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On8eTIqhqRE
Quack Addict
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:25pmAmazing indeed!
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 5, 2011 at 11:36pmthe system plots out a course pre-selected by each wearer
Got to know where your going before you go?????
Report Post »fastfacts
Posted on July 6, 2011 at 1:32amANOTHER AMERICAN INNOVATION THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN A SOCIALISTIC SOCIETY
American is the best country for innovation if we(they) let it be. We have the greatest motivation, the motivation to advance our situation. For this reason we must get rid of Obama, the greatest obstacle to innovation in the US right now.
( http://tiny.cc/zhwyz )
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