If you ever complained that technology is being misused, think again. Here is a noble attempt to help visually impaired people with the help of a portable computer giving audio aid. The System for Wearable Audio Navigation (SWAN) integrates GPS technology with cameras and image processing software to locate a person’s whereabouts as well as know what obstacle you have in front of you.
Developed by Georgia Institute of Technology, has extra sensors included in their navigation system which includes a digital compass, four cameras, a tilt sensor and a light sensor. The sensors play an important part as it tracks the direction in which a user is walking or facing when not in motion.
It works by having camera capturing the surroundings and light sensors complementing it by detecting the brightness of the objects. The different shapes and objects is searched through its database by the software which then inteprets it accordingly.
For instance, a particular arrangement of edges, dark space and corners could correspond to a door.
The development of this technology is not foolproof but nonetheless, has taken a step closer for the visually impaired people to live like us.
[Via Discovery]
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