Device enables the blind to see with sound
AUG 18, 2010
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.024596
New Scientist : Peter Meijer, a physicist and inventor in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, has developed a device that allows blind people to “see” via hearing. His device, called vOICe (the “OIC” stands for “Oh, I see”), translates visual images into “soundscapes.” It consists of sunglasses that contain a tiny camera connected to a netbook PC, and a pair of headphones. The camera scans the horizon, and software converts the images to sound: Bright images are louder, and frequency denotes whether an object is high up or low down. The device is proving to be an intriguing research tool for understanding both how the brain processes information and its capacity for adaptation.
© 2010 American Institute of Physics
