Bat-Inspired Glasses Use Sound to Help the Visually Impaired Perceive their Surroundings

Taking inspiration from bats’ echolocation abilities, scientists have created intelligent eyeglasses that convert visual data into distinctive sound representations, significantly improving the navigation skills of blind and visually impaired individuals. This technology has the potential to be revolutionary for the visually impaired.

Assistive technology aims to develop tools that empower individuals with sensory impairments to surmount obstacles in their daily routines. Specifically, blindness or low vision (BLV) hinders one’s capacity to carry out everyday tasks and participate in social interactions.

“Acoustic Touch” Smart Glasses for the Visually Impaired

In fact, a significant focus in assistive technology research revolves around enhancing the senses through visual, haptic/tactile, and auditory feedback. Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have now created advanced smart glasses that convert visual data into distinct sound symbols, a concept referred to as “acoustic touch,” to assist individuals with blindness or low vision (BLV) in “seeing.”

However, Chin-Teng Lin, one of the study’s co-authors, explained, “Smart glasses typically use computer vision and other sensory information to convert the wearer’s surroundings into computer-synthesized speech. However, acoustic touch technology transforms objects into unique sound representations as they come into the device’s field of view. For example, the sound of rustling leaves might indicate a plant, while a buzzing sound could represent a mobile phone.”

Inspired by the echolocation method used by bats, which involves emitting sound waves that bounce off objects and return as echoes, providing information about an object’s size and distance, the researchers developed their smart glasses, named the Foveated Audio Device (FAD).

The Technology Behind the Foveated Audio Device (FAD)

The FAD consists of augmented reality glasses and an OPPO Find X3 Pro Android phone. The Unity Game Engine 2022 manages the glasses’ audio input and camera/head tracking output, enabling the FAD to translate objects into distinct sound symbols when they come into the device’s field of view.

To evaluate their glasses, the researchers conducted tests involving 14 adult participants, including seven individuals with BLV and seven sighted participants who were blindfolded and served as a control group. The study encompassed a training phase, a seated task where the FAD was used to scan and sonify objects on a table, and a standing task that assessed the FAD’s performance as participants walked and searched for items in a cluttered environment. The study incorporated four items: a bowl, book, cup, and bottle.

Enhancing Object Recognition for the Visually Impaired

The researchers discovered that the wearable gadget notably improved the capacity of individuals with blindness or low vision (BLV) to identify and access objects with reduced cognitive strain.

However, Howe Yuan Zhu, the study’s lead and corresponding author, noted, “The auditory feedback empowers users to accurately recognize and reach for objects.” He added, “Our results suggest that acoustic touch holds promise as a wearable and efficient means of enhancing sensory perception for the visually impaired community.”

To conclude, With some refinements, acoustic touch technology could potentially become an essential component of assistive technologies, offering BLV individuals enhanced access to their surroundings.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

Read more: Millisign Tech Guides Drones with Battery-Less Ground Tags