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System and method for alerting visually impaired users of nearby objects

  • US 9,801,778 B2
  • Filed: 06/18/2010
  • Issued: 10/31/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for alerting a visually impaired user of collision or falling hazards, the method comprising:

  • acquiring a first image and a second image, of a space in front of said user, by two spaced-apart imagers;

    deriving, from said first image and said second image, a three-dimensional reconstruction comprising a plurality of three-dimensional points;

    dividing said space in front of said user into a plurality of collision frusta each having a three-dimensional location and an orientation relative to said user, for detecting one of;

    a presence of objects proximate a head of said user and an absence of a floor ahead of said user;

    determining one of;

    said presence of objects proximate said head of said user and said absence of said floor ahead of said user, based on counting a number of said plurality of three-dimensional points in each one of said plurality of collision frusta; and

    activating one or more vibro-tactile devices, in a particular way, in response to said determining;

    wherein said plurality of collision frusta comprises;

    a right collision frustum, a center collision frustum, and a left collision frustum, each representing a corresponding right, center, and left portion of said space in front of said user, respectively; and

    wherein said one or more vibro-tactile devices, comprise a right, a center, and a left vibro-tactile devices, and wherein said activating one or more vibro-tactile devices comprises one of;

    activating said right vibro-tactile device in response to said determining in said right collision frustum, activating said center vibro-tactile device in response to said determining in said center collision frustum, and activating said left vibro-tactile device in response to said determining in said left collision frustum.

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