Integrating shape memory materials in haptic technology as an aid for the visually impaired

There are approximately 285 million people worldwide living with a visual impairment and the rate of acquired blindness is expected to continue increasing. Assistive technology for them is progressively being developed in order to enable independent living. For the blind and visually impaired, the tactile sense is the primary source of...

Embedded System Design for Bioelectronic Interface to Sensory Cortex

Visual perception is a pillar of human life. Visual impairment, therefore, has a severe impact on the quality of life. The Bioelectronic Interface to Sensory Cortex (BISC) project is aimed at building a system capable of both recording and stimulating neurons in order to remedy visual impairment. The proposed BISC system consists of three...

Blind Graph Topology Change Detection: A Graph Signal Processing approach

Graphs are used to model irregular data structures and serve as models to represent/capture the interrelationships between data. The data in graphs are also referred as graph signals. Graph signal processing (GSP) can then be applied which basically extends classical signal processing to solve problems. Anomaly detection is an example of such a...

The blind and sighted in tandem: a new, truly inclusive art experience

This graduation project describes the research and design process of taking on several challenges that arise in the context of blind people in the museum. Research showed that blind people are interested in going to museums and exhibitions in general. But most museums do not provide enough information for them to enjoy a museum experience. <br/...

Designing Haptic Graphics for Mathematics: Towards Accessible Math Education for Blind Students

Currently 75% of children with a visual impairment attend regular schools. Schools are digitizing, which poses both advantages as well as threads to the education of students who are blind. With help of VoiceOver or refreshable braille displays, digital textual information has become accessible to the student, however, there is no solution...

A new touch in Braille display design: The design of a next generation Braille display

A Braille display is an alternative interface that is used to make computers, tablets and phones accessible for the blind. This interface enables those that can read and write in Braille to navigate through and access digital information which is usually viewed on a screen. More advanced Braille displays are also equipped with input keys, so...

Be aware of the unseen: Designing an obstacle detection device for the blind

Not being able to rely on one’s eyes is a condition that reduces the quality of life, for we live in a visually oriented world. This is especially important when looking at personal mobility. The aim of this graduation project is to design a new product that can improve the quality of life of a visually impaired person (VIP). Analysis of the...

Recording & projecting architecture

Recording & projecting architecture A project for the city of Rome The research empirically explores the semantic value of images and the potential of image-based communication in respect to new-media culture, computation and to the ongoing process of dematerialization, focusing on how these processes affect current interpretation of the City...

Designing a portable document reading device for the blind

Situation: The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that worldwide, 285 million people are visually impaired due to various causes; 39 million of them are blind, a majority of them living in developing countries (WHO June 2012). This project stems from reflection into their lives. Literature forms one of the integral medium of acquiring...

Access to Communication: Mobile communication for everyone

This master thesis shows the process of the design and implementation of new products and services for blind and deaf people. In the analysis phase interviews are done with blind and deaf to gain insight into the targetgroup regarding their needs and problems. Focus is on problems with mobile communication or that can be solved with mobile...

Designing an educational aid for the visually impaired

In the Netherlands there are approximately 10.000 visually impaired people younger than 24. This can make following classes in school quite challenging. They have trouble reading the blackboard, reading books and handouts and missing non-verbal communication of their teacher with the class. Missing out on a lot of information and always paying...

Improving Auditory Navigation in Public Buildings for Blind and Visually impaired People

Compared with people with normal vision, blind and visually impaired people (B&VI) suffer from not only limited accessibility to public buildings but also poor experience of these buildings. However, the keen senses of sound and touch of B&VI, which are honed through daily practice and compensated by the loss of vision in brain, could be...

Tactiel Display 3: Een grafisch beeldscherm voor blinden

Dit rapport behandelt een ontwerp voor een beeldscherm, bedoeld om grafische voorstellingen in een voor blinden waarneembare vorm te presenteren. Dit gebeurt d.m.v. een tactiel reliëf, opgebouwd uit 60x120 = 7.200 beeldpunten op een onderhnge afstand van 21/2 mm, dat binnen acht seconden ververst dient te kunnen worden. De fabricagekostprijs van...