got this in my daily Jpmorgan technology update.
Intersting.
A scientist at Philips Research Laboratories has developed a technology that enables blind people to see with sound, BBC News reported yesterday. It's called vOICe -- the three middle letters standing for "Oh I See." It works by translating images from a camera -- on the fly -- into highly complex soundscapes, which are then transmitted to the user over headphones. Brighter areas sound louder, height is indicated by pitch, and a built-in color identifier speaks out color names when activated.
The system isn't sophisticated enough to allow people to read or to track fast cars, but it does allow blind users to trace out buildings, read a graph, and even watch television. A wearable setup, costing about $2,500, consists of a head-mounted camera, stereo headphones, and a notebook PC. The software is available as a free download. "Everything has its own unique sound and once you learn the principles involved you can know what you're seeing," said Michelle Thomas, an early user of the system.
Intersting.
A scientist at Philips Research Laboratories has developed a technology that enables blind people to see with sound, BBC News reported yesterday. It's called vOICe -- the three middle letters standing for "Oh I See." It works by translating images from a camera -- on the fly -- into highly complex soundscapes, which are then transmitted to the user over headphones. Brighter areas sound louder, height is indicated by pitch, and a built-in color identifier speaks out color names when activated.
The system isn't sophisticated enough to allow people to read or to track fast cars, but it does allow blind users to trace out buildings, read a graph, and even watch television. A wearable setup, costing about $2,500, consists of a head-mounted camera, stereo headphones, and a notebook PC. The software is available as a free download. "Everything has its own unique sound and once you learn the principles involved you can know what you're seeing," said Michelle Thomas, an early user of the system.