Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H3/00—Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about
  • A61H3/06—Walking aids for blind persons
  • A61H3/061—Walking aids for blind persons with electronic detecting or guiding means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H3/00—Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about
  • A61H3/06—Walking aids for blind persons
  • A61H3/068—Sticks for blind persons
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B21/00—Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute
  • G09B21/001—Teaching or communicating with blind persons
  • G09B21/003—Teaching or communicating with blind persons using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B21/00—Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute
  • G09B21/001—Teaching or communicating with blind persons
  • G09B21/006—Teaching or communicating with blind persons using audible presentation of the information
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61H—PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY
  • A61H3/00—Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about
  • A61H3/06—Walking aids for blind persons
  • A61H3/061—Walking aids for blind persons with electronic detecting or guiding means
  • A61H2003/063—Walking aids for blind persons with electronic detecting or guiding means with tactile perception

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for communicating environmental information to a visually impaired person with an information transmitter and a playback device that converts the information supplied by the information transmitter into a signal perceivable by a visually impaired person.
• Such devices are well known. With such devices, it is possible, for example, to make the information displayed by a computer screen readable for the blind. For this purpose, a text displayed by the computer monitor is converted from a tactile matrix into a height profile that can be felt by the blind person.
• a tactile matrix usually consists of a large number of surface-mounted styli, which can be lifted individually by an actuator.
• blind people depend on orientation aids such as the stick and the guide dog. However, both aids only allow limited mobility.
• the blind person in the vicinity which extends up to about one meter away, can orient themselves without further aids by means of keys. Beyond this range of distances, his immediate and real surroundings open up to him directly only through acoustic impressions.
• the invention has the object to provide a device for conveying environmental information to a visually impaired people, with the orientation ability and movement safety of a visually impaired people can be significantly improved.
• This object is achieved by a device having the features of the independent claim.
• advantageous embodiments and developments are given.
• the device for communicating environmental information to a visually impaired person comprises a distance sensor that can be attached to the body of the visually impaired person.
• the distance information provided by the distance sensor is displayed on a portable player.
• Distance sensors can be manufactured as integrated components. Such a distance sensor can easily be worn by a visually impaired person. Since the measuring range of a distance sensor goes far beyond the near range which the visually impaired person can detect by means of keys, the apparatus considerably broadens the range of perception of a visually impaired person. The device thus contributes to considerably increase the orientation ability and the movement safety of a visually impaired person.
• the distance sensor operates on the principle of the time of flight measurement.
• Such distance sensors function independently of the daylight and of the optical properties of the reflecting objects.
• such distance sensors have a large measurement accuracy of about one centimeter.
• a functional element specific to the distance sensor should be understood as meaning all functional elements which determine at least one for determining the distance serve useful measure.
• Functional elements which serve the power supply and the buffering of an integrated semiconductor component should, however, be excluded from it.
• the functional elements specific to the distance sensor thus include in each case the functional elements in which light is generated and received. If the functional elements specific for the distance sensor are integrated in one semiconductor component or a plurality of semiconductor components, this results in light and small distance sensors, which can be carried on the body without difficulty.
• the distance sensor can be integrated in a headgear.
• the visually impaired person can change the orientation of the field of view of the distance sensor by moving the head.
• the range information provided by the range sensor is displayed on a portable touch device.
• the portable touch device form variable height profiles that can be easily felt by the visually impaired people. In this way even complex distance information can be conveyed to a visually impaired person.
• the distance sensor has a line-shaped field of view.
• a touch surface of the touch device is designed according to the beam fan of the distance sensor. The distance profile of an obj ect in the field of view is then reproduced by an educated on the touch surface height level, which follows the course of the distance profile.
• the field of view is expanded in terms of area.
• a height profile corresponding to the distance image is formed on the touch surface.
• This embodiment thus provides visually impaired people not only with the outline of the outer contour of an obj ect, but a complete distance image.
• a disadvantage is that the range resolution is low, since with the relatively small stroke of the styli the entire distance measuring range of the distance sensor must be displayed.
• the probe is a tactile matrix integrated into a cane.
• the visually impaired person always has the probe at hand when he reaches for the cane.
• the device can also convey speed information about objects in the visual field. For example, it is possible to vibrate areas of the tactile surface which reproduce a fast-moving object, depending on the speed of the object. Thus, the visually impaired person is made aware of obj ekte that quickly approach him.
• FIG. 1 shows a blind person who orients himself with the aid of an assistance device in the region of a passage
• FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a tactile matrix attached to a blind stick
• FIGS. 3 to 6 show the representation of the outer contours of different objects on the tactile matrix according to FIG. 2;
• FIG. 7 shows the illustration of a further assistance device with a field of view which is expanded in terms of area
• FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the tactile matrix of the assistance device from FIG. 7;
• FIG. 9 shows the illustration of the object from FIG. 7 on the tactile matrix from FIG. 8.
• FIG. 1 shows a blind person 1 who orientates with the aid of an assistance device in the region of an obj ect 2.
• the object 2 is a wall in which a passage is formed.
• the assistance device comprises a distance sensor 3, which is integrated into a head covering 4 of the blind person 1.
• the headgear 4 may be, for example, a headband, hat or hat.
• the distance sensor 3 can also be carried at a different location on the body of the blind person 1.
• the distance sensor 3 may also be integrated in a pair of sunglasses.
• the distance sensor 3 preferably operates on the basis of a light transit time measurement.
• laser light illumination is modulated synchronously with the sensitivity of photosensitive receivers operating on the Surface of a semiconductor device are arranged either line-shaped or matrix-shaped.
• PMD Photonic Mixing Device
• MDSI Multiple Double Short Time Integration
• the blind person 1 can direct a line-shaped visual field 7 of the distance sensor 1 to a space area of interest.
• the distance sensor 3 emits a beam fan 8, which comprises a multiplicity of sensor beams 9, which are preferably distributed uniformly over the angular extent of the line-shaped visual field 7. For example, 64 sensor beams may be distributed over a viewing angle of 100 degrees.
• the distance images taken, for example, at a frequency of 10 Hz are reproduced by means of a tactile matrix 10, which is integrated into a cane 11.
• the distance information contained in the distance images is preferably transmitted by wireless distance between the distance sensor 3 and the tactile matrix 10.
• FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the tactile matrix 10 integrated in the cane 11.
• the tactile matrix 10 has on a touch surface 12 a multiplicity of styli 13, which can be raised above the touch surface 12.
• Tactile matrices are known in the art and as such are not the subject of the invention.
• the touch surface 12 of the tactile matrix 10 is designed in accordance with the jet fan 8 of the distance sensor 3.
• the touch surface 12 is therefore preferably designed circular segment-shaped.
• FIGS. 3 to 6 each show the outline of the obj ect 2 located in the field of view 7 and the associated display on the touch surface 12.
• FIG. 3 shows the representation of a wall 14 located on the touch surface 12 immediately before the blind 1.
• the styli 13 form an elevation 15, which is indicated in FIG. 3 by the hatched area of the touch surface 12.
• An elevation step 16 bounding the elevation 15 thereby moves away from the wall 14 via the touch surface 12, depending on the distance of the blind person 1. Since the height level 16 can be easily felt by the blind 1, the blind receives 1 information about the nature and distance to the wall 14th
• FIG. 4 shows the illustration of a corner 17 on the touch surface 12.
• the elevation 15 is limited to a corner-shaped section of the touch surface 12.
• the blind 1 By sensing the elevation 15 on the touch surface 12, the blind 1 can determine its distance from the corner 17, which is, for example, a building corner, and bypass it over a wide area.
• the details of the profiles of obj ekten 2 can be displayed on the touch surface 12.
• Figure 5 shows the representation of a rounded corner 18 on the touch surface 12. In this case, the height level 16 of the
• the obj ect shown in Figure 1 comprises a passage 19 in a wall 20.
• the elevation 15 is limited to two corner-shaped sections, wherein between the corner-shaped elevations 15 is a depression 21 which indicates the passage 19.
• the blind person 1 is informed about the passage 2 which lies in front of him in the measuring range of the distance sensor 3.
• the blind person 1 can therefore approach the passage 19 from a distance which corresponds to the measuring range of the distance sensor 3.
• free areas can also be indicated by elevations, as are obstacles.
• obstacles are indicated by a lowering of the styli 13.
• FIG. 7 shows a modified assistance device.
• the assistance device illustrated in FIG. 7 comprises a distance sensor 22 with a field of view 23 expanded in area.
• a tactile matrix 24 shown in FIG. 8 is provided to display the distance image recorded by the distance sensor 22.
• the touch surface 25 of the tactile matrix is designed according to the shape of the field of view 23.
• On the touch surface 25, a height profile is generated, which corresponds to the distance sen- Sor 22 taken distance image corresponds.
• the deflection of the styli 13 is preferably proportional to the measured distance of obj ect 2. If no obj ect 2 is in the field of view 23, the styli 13 are retracted as far as possible. Conversely, if the obj ect 2 is in close proximity to the blind 1, the styli are raised as far as possible.
• FIG. 9 shows the display of the object 2 from FIGS. 1 and 6 on the touch surface 25.
• This obj ect 2 is the wall 20 with the passage 19.
• an elevation 26 is formed on the touch surface 25, which corresponds to the distance image of the wall 20.
• the passage 19 is indicated by a sink 27.
• the tactile matrix integrated into the cane 11 11 or 24 can provide both the representation of the outline of the outer contours of Obj ect 2 as well as the display of a distance image. This can be accomplished either via two separate touch surfaces 12 and 25 as well as a switchable touch surface 12 or 35.
• the speed of each pixel in the direction of the blind person 1 can be calculated by comparing two successive distance images.
• the speed information can be sent to the blind person 1, for example, by means of a velocity-proportional vibration of the respective stylus 13 corresponding to the respective pixel. This alerts the blind person to those objects 2 that are approaching him quickly.
• the display of the speed can be both the frequency and the
• a vibration signal can also be imparted by means of a vibrator carried close to the body.
• the distance information is communicated to the blind person via an acoustic signal.
• the immediate vicinity of an obstacle may be indicated by a warning sound, which is the higher the nearer the blind comes to the obstacle.
• a spoken warning when approaching an obstacle with the aid of a speech generator.
• the acoustic signal can be conveyed in an inconspicuous manner with the aid of a hearing device or a device that has the appearance of a hearing aid.
• the assistance devices described here facilitate the mobility of the blind considerably.
• the ability to perceive the blind person 1 equipped with the assistance devices described here is sometimes even beyond that of a seeing person. Because the assistance devices described here work even in complete darkness.
• the blind person 1 can therefore also orient himself at night.
• the blind person 1 is provided with reliable information about the distance and speed of objects 2.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Audiology, Speech & Language Pathology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Pain & Pain Management (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Therapy (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Educational Administration (AREA)
• Educational Technology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Rehabilitation Tools (AREA)
• Position Input By Displaying (AREA)
• Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Families Citing this family (74)

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• 2005
  • 2005-02-28 DE DE102005009110A patent/DE102005009110A1/de not_active Ceased
• 2006
  • 2006-01-10 US US11/794,900 patent/US7855657B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-01-10 WO PCT/EP2006/050112 patent/WO2006074993A2/de active Application Filing
  • 2006-01-10 CN CN2006800022019A patent/CN101103387B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-01-10 EP EP06707686A patent/EP1836696A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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