The white cane is used by many visually impaired individuals as the primary aid for avoiding obstacles. In this it is unparalleled, but it cannot provide a large-scale view of the surroundings the way vision does. This makes navigating independently a challenge for the visually impaired. We are developing the Virtual White Cane (VWC), a device that uses sensors and haptic technologies to complement the limited view of the cane. Sensors makes it possible to probe obstacles far beyond the range of the white cane, and haptic feedback is familiar to users of the regular cane. The purpose of this device is to act as a complement to the standard cane, providing information about the surroundings that are beyond the cane's reach. This kind of extended view not only helps in anticipating obstacles, but also to navigate. The presentation will focus on the hardware of the currently developed prototype, in addition to some initial user experiences.
Godkänd; 2014; 20140923 (danahl)