Is the field of devices for visually impaired people developing? Participation in exhibitions, international trips, acquaintances. Turns out it's a very broad topic.

The other day, on Habré, the news about the creation of a prototype baseball cap device for blind people was discussed. Since I have been dealing with this problem for almost a year and wrote a diploma on this topic, I would like to offer my view on solving the problem of people with disabilities. The article will be of interest not only to IT specialists, but also to entrepreneurs, as well as people interested in the problem of disability.

The first idea to create a device came to me when I started studying microcontrollers at the institute. I really wanted to stop coding examples with LEDs, PWMs and other microcontroller initialization, and do something cool and useful, in real life. I decided to put a self-made parking sensors on my car, mounting it in the front bumper (it was already in the back, and in the front, in Moscow conditions, it is often useful). I assembled a circuit on my knee on an arduino mini, played around, quenched my thirst.

Concept and prototype

I am an entrepreneur by nature, I already had a successful experience in creating and selling social web projects (including cooperation with Yandex). Literally a few days later, an idea was born in my head to commercialize and mass-produce my parking sensors, but in a completely different application - in the field of helping the disabled.

Statistics on the prevalence of the visually impaired

According to the World Health Organization, there are about 37 million blind people worldwide and 124 million with poor eyesight.
In Russia, the issues of visual disability are dealt with by the All-Russian Society of the Blind (VOS). Today, the VOC includes 74 regional organizations, including 783 local organizations and uniting more than 212,000 visually impaired people living in all regions of the Russian Federation. Of these, absolutely blind - 103,000 people (data for 2009). Of this number, 25% are young people of working age, i.e. almost one in five of all the blind and visually impaired.
According to other sources, there are more than 275 thousand blind and visually impaired people. The fact is that not all the blind turn to the associations of the blind, according to the number of members of which statistics are kept, many, for example, spend their whole lives in the countryside, not knowing about the existence of such institutions.
By 2020, the number of blind people in the world could rise to 75 million(according to the UN).

In a few days, I assembled the first prototype using everyone's favorite arduino mini version. He did not look very good, but it was quite sufficient for the first field trials on the real blind.


And in the "assembled" form:

For more serious tests, a second prototype was created, in a rigid case and already with a battery:

Test results

The trials on the blind were very successful. Such frank joy and delight that overwhelmed the disabled, I saw only in small children at the age of kindergarten, who were presented with the "best in the world" gift for the holiday. One young disabled guy put on the device and just ran away with it while we discussed the usefulness of the invention =) We found it on another street, across the road from the original location. The guy really liked the device, for the first time in his life he felt what it means to move along the street on his own, without outside help and even without a cane. It is difficult for us, the seers, to understand this, but perhaps it is similar to a long but miraculous recovery of people after an injury that made it impossible for them to walk and feel complete person. Also, the device showed itself perfectly when tested on elderly people. One 80-year-old old woman in a couple of minutes was calmly moving around the premises of the society of the blind (this is the question of learning ability).
It was decided to continue development, besides, a promising thesis began to emerge.

Competitors

For a couple of weeks, I studied Runet and the foreign part of the network and found out (like the author of the article about the baseball cap) that in the world there are mainly prototypes of such devices (one, two, three), and literally a few implemented options that differ quite high price(four - £300, five - £635). I heard about similar developments back in the Soviet Union and in Russia, but I could not find anything. All found concepts used various types of communication with a disabled person, but mainly through sound.

Technical part

Electronic signaling devices are widely used in workshops in factories in many industries. One of the most important needs for signaling devices is Feedback to the operator that the desired result was achieved by one or another machine or mechanism. Almost all signaling devices on the market contain an audible alarm to warn of the result. In addition, some appliances contain visual signaling mechanisms, such as light bulbs of various colors (usually red, yellow, and green). in a noisy environment or where the tool is being used with limited visibility of its user interface, it is possible that none of these alarms are sufficient to notify the operator. A suitable solution to this problem is to combine visual and audible warnings to the operator with tactile signaling, through vibration. The benefits of vibration feedback are well known to anyone who uses a mobile phone.
Quote from my thesis

And a comparison of the found methods of signaling in the conditions of the limited capabilities of a blind person. The guys from the Department of Neuropsychology of Moscow State University enlightened me on the pros and cons of this or that signaling method, advised me on the necessary literature. I studied in detail about a dozen books on psychology, bionics, research on the blind, as well as animals (especially about dolphins and bats), watched several feature films (I advise everyone a film about a blind musician of all time, Ray Charles). When I was in Germany and France at the presentation of the device, I myself walked around the city with a blindfold on my eyes and with a prototype of the device, which aroused great interest and delight among the surrounding public =)
In the end, I came to the conclusion that it is best to use tactile feedback and “not clog” the auditory canal, because. blind people navigate mainly by ear, catching the echo from the clatter of heels and thus estimating distances in the world around them. In addition, the feedback of the human body on external stimulus is the fastest when using exactly tactile channels (the fastest slow way, oddly enough, through sight). We will use vibration as an influence. Although there were other options that did not fit due to the peculiarities of the human psyche. For example, a person quickly gets used to a constant external monotonous effect - to a slight pressure or compression on parts of the body. As well as to the constant monotone loud sound(we all know how to fall asleep on planes or a bus, ceasing to hear the noise of the engine). The so-called adaptation to external noise.

Meanwhile, the electronic stuffing was chosen. This will be a self-made board (because the arduino takes up a lot of space), sensors (ultrasound + infrared) and a battery:

On the atmega88 board (or atmega168 like on arduino), a set of mikruhs for charging the battery and controlling the electric motor, a pulse voltage converter, a sound buzzer, and more. The whole thing was calculated and tested with oscilloscopes, etc. (up to justifying the choice of transistors), the thesis is the same =) Ordered at a factory in China, cheap and very good quality. The board is double-sided, size 24x48mm, SMD components (size 0603), indents between tracks in some places 0.15 mm. For the quality of soldering, do not throw tomatoes, for the first time I soldered such a trifle, without a normal station and with terrible solder:

Then the hull concept was created:


The koprus is attached to the hand on a strap, in the area of ​​​​the wrist (back of the hand). A silver tablet on the strap below is a vibration motor for communicating the device with a person. There are a couple of buttons on the case (on-off, near-far modes), a socket for a plug from the power supply to charge the battery. And of course, two cute eyes, almost a hero from the touching cartoon Wally =)

The first real prototype printed on a 3D printer turned out to be a little scarier than the concept, but everything has its time:

Characteristics of the developed device and the principle of operation

The device is worn on the hand, according to the principle of an ordinary flashlight. Having detected an obstacle, the Electrosonar gives a vibration signal of different duration (the duration of the signal depends on the distance to the obstacle). By pointing the device in different directions, you can get a clear picture of the surrounding obstacles, such as curbs, steps, walls. There are several modes of operation, both for small, enclosed spaces (apartment), and for use in an open, "street" space.

• Obstacle detection range - up to 7 meters;
• Weight - less than 150 grams;
• Size - no more than 7x7x3.5 centimeters (LxWxH);
• Battery life - more than 4 hours;
• Operating temperature - up to -30 degrees;
• Food - from the built-in accumulator, the charger in a set.

Participation in exhibitions, international travel, dating

Managed to participate in the exhibition near Moscow, met with former governor region, B. Gromov, even awarded some diplomas.


And as I noted above, I visited Germany, in Frankfurt, they have a cool museum where everyone can feel blind for a couple of hours, think about the difficulties of life in the dark, wander through the labyrinths and even visit a "blind" lunch.


A very cool way to spend one of the free weekends for the whole family, which helps to understand that there are other people around you, with disabilities, with a completely different lifestyle and habits. It is a pity there is still no such thing in Russia. The director of the museum, by the way, is blind.
Also was in France, in Strasbourg. The first questions were, oddly enough, about safety and contraindications (whether people will be allergic to the material of which the device consists, etc.). At the same time, neither in Frankfurt nor in Strasbourg have they seen such devices yet, which was a great surprise for me.
Relations with the main Moscow Department of the Blind were rather cool from the very beginning. “There is already something like this, you haven’t invented anything interesting, we have known about such devices for a long time.” However, even in the Moscow Region branches of the Society of the Blind, the device turned out to be a discovery for everyone.

Economic part, commercialization and difficulties

He successfully defended his thesis, and began to think about how to bring the device to a series. Economic calculations showed that the cost of the device is approximately 1700 rubles. per piece, which is generally excellent performance compared to competitors. Appealed with a proposal to several large enterprises (Noginsk CJSC NPC "Pribor" and Moscow JSC "Radio Engineering Concern" Vega "). Everywhere I was very warmly welcomed, everyone became interested and started working with me. But to date, there are no results yet. In the first case, there was no special initiative, all actions were expected from me, a freshly graduated engineer with no experience and practice in organizing production. In the second concern, they have been thinking for a couple of months. The only ones most interested at the moment are the guys-entrepreneurs from Business Youth.

In the course of work, I realized that it is very difficult to pull such a project on oneself. Starting production turned out to be a difficult issue, there are a lot of pitfalls, for example, with patenting, certification, sales-distribution, warranty-repair-return. In addition, I have already spent a decent amount of my own funds on the entire project (thanks to previous projects that created some kind of financial cushion), which tend to end =)
Over time, there are also difficulties - I am preparing to pass the international exam in English and enter the European Master's / Postgraduate studies. At the same time, I am running another project, which, unlike the device, makes a profit in the short term, and somehow with its help I close the appetite of the voracious device =)

Results

As a result, the device turned out to be simple, cheap and compact, and at the same time it is an excellent assistant for a disabled person. Although it is not without flaws, but on the diploma they told me this: “The disadvantage of this device is simplicity. What, on the other hand, is his main competitive advantage". And while the doubters discuss the shortcomings of the presented "misunderstanding", comparing this method with sophisticated image recognition systems, or with implantable chips, the disabled meanwhile are delighted (I have already received more than a dozen requests for the device to be purchased as soon as possible, without any advertising at all). Understand the main thing, modern disabled people do not even have such an opportunity to have at least an elementary idea of ​​​​the surrounding space at a distance greater than the length of a cane.

To date, the project is in a semi-frozen state. For mass production, some technical improvements are needed (especially the cases). Therefore, I am looking for any help and like-minded people. Both technically and organizationally, in commercialization.
There are thoughts to go to the Chinese, offer them my development and set up production with them. Then the device will cost a penny in general. But for now, these are just thoughts.

Thanks to the respected habrasociety for your attention. I will be glad to hear any ideas, advice, suggestions and recommendations.

Numerous studies carried out by scientists in order to create an artificial retina have finally found real forms. The first electronic retina is preparing to enter the market, with the help of which the blind will be able to independently distinguish large objects and even read large print.

For many years, scientists around the world have been trying to find a way to restore sight to blind people. Unfortunately, the eye is the only organ that has not yet been fully studied by man, but there is still progress! European engineers have created an artificial retina that, although subtle, returns sight to blind patients.

According to membrana.ru, the prosthesis, which restores vision to patients with retinal degeneration, has received approval from the European authorities and will soon be available to the blind through several clinics in Switzerland, France and the UK.

The author of the project is the American company Second Sight, which has been working on the electronic retina for several years. Back in September 2009, company representatives announced the first successes of the Argus II device, which essentially works like a video camera.

Those. The image is captured by a miniature camera on glasses, then the image is processed by a processor and transmitted wirelessly to a person's head - to a retinal implant, which stimulates cells due to an array of electrodes. So the blind gets, albeit primitive, but vision.

Argus II has 60 electrodes, respectively, the world is seen by such a patient in the form of a picture of 60 points (patients report " bright flashes"). Of course, this is not much, but still better than life in complete darkness. The blind with the "Argus" can see that a person is standing in front of them, they can notice his movement. They are able to independently find a doorway, recognize a large simple object or slowly read very large print.

External equipment "Argus" consists of glasses with a camera and a transmitting antenna, as well as a box with a video processor. The latter, by the way, is needed in order to turn the original image into a primitive, but more understandable one, formed by electrodes in the eyeball. The instrument owner can select the image processing mode (for example, contrast enhancement or edge enhancement). After the vision of the system is comparable to a 30 cm ruler held at arm's length.

One of the test patients was Englishman Eric Shelby. He wears Argus II already more than a year. "Before that, he was completely blind for twenty years," ABC News reports, "previously he depended on a guide dog. Now he is able to see the edge of the sidewalk for himself."

At its core, the Argus II is a trailblazer that heralds the era of "serial" vision restoration with chip implants. Its advantage over overtaking rivals is proof of its ability to work without problems for a long time in the human body. "Argus was tested on 30 patients," according to Technology Review.

There will be no large-scale production of these implants, because. their price is $115 thousand. You understand, not every blind person can afford it. However, it is expected that next year the prosthesis will receive a green light from the US authorities, and Argus will also be sold in his homeland.

It should be noted that in addition to Second Sight, other manufacturers are also involved in artificial retinas, which also managed to achieve some success, but their inventions are not yet planned to be mass-produced.

Tiflotechnics is a branch of instrumentation special purpose, which develops technical means intended for education, industrial training, labor and polytechnic activities, as well as cultural and community services for people with special needs: blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind. They are used to correct and restore vision.

One of the most important functions tiflotechnics - the creation of conditions for a blind person that will allow him to receive more complete information about the world in which he lives. Preserved analyzers allow compensating for lost visual functions. Thanks to typhlotechnical devices, visual information is recoded into tactile and auditory information.

The main tasks of tiflotechnics

• Reducing the limitation in the orientation of blind and visually impaired people in the space around them;
• creation of the necessary technical conditions for diversified development, obtaining a general and special education, as well as the further cultural development of persons with visual problems;
• expanding the possibilities of using the labor of blind people in modern mechanized production;
• increasing the productivity and economic efficiency of their work;
• facilitating the orientation of the blind in everyday life, creating the possibility of a rational organization of their leisure and cultural recreation.
• The development of tiflotechnical devices is based on the following principles:
• replacing the functions of the visual analyzer with the saved functions of other analyzers, using acoustic, tactile and proprioceptive means of displaying information;
• rational use of residual vision and intact analyzers;
• amplification of the visual signal, which exceeds the level of interference created due to a flaw in the visual analyzer.

Types of tiflotechnics

There are such types of tiflo technical means: household, educational, industrial.

There are such household typhlotechnical means that expand the cognitive activity of blind and visually impaired people in everyday life. They represent the basis for their physical development and raising the cultural level. These include projection equipment for reading, which gives different magnifications:

• The device-stand "Sigma" is used for reading by visually impaired people of flat text. It improves reading conditions for books, newspapers, magazines and handwritten texts. The device "Sigma" has three degrees of freedom. It allows you to set the front panel with text in a convenient position for the eyes. This reduces eye fatigue. The first degree of changing the position of the instrument panel is intended for horizontal movement (toward - away from yourself). The second degree is used for vertical movement. It takes into account the height of the user. The third degree is used to tilt the panel. The Sigma device has an individual fluorescent lamp with a switch. It is used as additional source Sveta.
• The VideoLight-VGA magnifier is a multifunctional vision aid. It appearance resembles a table lamp and is used when reading texts, as well as viewing images. Thanks to the simple and convenient design, the device is convenient to use.
• SenseView is a pocket electronic magnifier. It is small in size, has a flat screen, the size of which is 10.9 cm diagonal. The device can operate without being connected to the mains for up to 4.5 hours and weighs 221 g. With SenseView, you can comfortably fill out forms and read texts that are printed in small print

In order for blind people to be able to independently and safely move in space, the following means of transportation have been developed:

• special canes (laser, long, support, folding);
• systems for orientation - light and laser radars that reflect the waves sent by the device from an obstacle;
• electronic devices with tactile and sound alarms.

"Reference point"

The portable device "Landmark" allows you to build on the plane terrain plans, traffic routes, the layout of frequently visited premises and office buildings, as well as graphs, elementary diagrams and geometric shapes. It consists of construction fields (metal plates), figures (magnetic elements), metal brackets and magnetic stripes. The construction field, due to the fact that each plate is made in two colors, can be made, depending on the goal, both multi-colored and one-color. The construction field is formed on a horizontal surface by connecting the plates. All elements of the device are magnetic. They hold up quite well on the field of construction. In order to build a route of movement, magnetic stripes are used.

"Peleng-01"

The electronic compass "Peleng-01" is intended to facilitate spatial orientation when a blind person moves independently in open space, which is devoid of local landmarks. In order to determine the direction of geomagnetic lines, electronic sensors are used. magnetic field. The user receives information through a headset or built-in speaker in the form of tones. The device can operate in two modes: "search for the north" and "keep on course".

In order for blind and visually impaired people to be able to serve themselves, they use the following typhlotechnical means for household and cultural purposes:

• talking household steelyard "Sonar-B1", which is used for weighing in field conditions or home conditions of goods, the weight of which does not exceed 10 kg;
• tape measure VOX-Tape with speech output;
• acoustic beacon "Kenar", which is a sound indicator of the liquid level;
• an electronic timer that is used to designate a landmark or object that the user needs);
• medical thermometer DX6623B with speech output;
• scales electronic household speaking;
• automatic threader;
• clock (electronic talking, Braille wrist "Rocket", quartz wrist watch, alarm clock talking with a thermometer);
• talking calculator;
• tonometer with speech output;
• dispensers (pepper, knife, sugar bowl, cork);
• knife sharpener;
• fish cleaning;
• meter for the blind;
• checkers and chess for the blind;
• denomination denominator "PALITRA-02".

The Stick Talk communicator allows people with visual and hearing impairments to communicate more comfortably. He helps the deaf to communicate with the blind, and the blind to understand the deaf. The device is able to remember what was said, and then display the text on the screen. It can also recognize "handwritten" text if you use Stick Talk's "talking stick" as a pencil. She can "write" on any surface, for example, the field of a jacket or her own palm. The text is displayed on the screen or spoken aloud.

In special schools for blind and visually impaired children, as well as higher educational institutions, educational typhlotechnics are used, which enrich the content and teaching methods. Special screen access programs are used that allow you to enlarge the image and apply magnification modes of various types and multiplicity. This is, for example, the ZoomText program manufactured by Ai Squared. It allows you to enlarge the image from 2 to 16 times.

Computer programs

The Kutzweil program of the American company Lernout & Hauspie allows you to enlarge the image on the screen, scan and recognize text. It is equipped with a multilingual navigator, which has a Russian-language speech driver. Special speech synthesis programs have been created:

• JAWS - speech program for working with OS WINDOWS;
• EPARD - speech program for working with DOS;
• Virgo is a speech program that allows a blind person to work in Windows both through a synthesizer and with a Braille line;
• System Access from the company

In order to provide blind people with access to the information environment, the following technical means have been invented:

• various devices for writing and reading Braille;
• special typewriters;
• cube letter Braille;
• alphabet block Braille;
• voiced books.

E-Learning Tools

In working with blind people, computer teaching aids are also effective. Visually impaired children retain a steady interest in the process of completing tasks using reading machines that convert ordinary letters into tactile, auditory, and tactile-vibratory signals. They give the output sound melodies of letters. This is, for example, the INFA-100 reading machine. It allows blind people to independently read flat-printed texts through speech synthesis, display them on a Braille display, and also print them on an Index Everest Braille printer.

The reading machine "Book Lover Compact" consists of a computer and a scanner. It can be controlled with two knobs and six buttons. The machine displays texts on a Braille display. It has a large amount of memory.

Visio is a full color reader with 17 LCD monitors and auto focus. It has auto full color focus and lots of artificial colors. The device can swap the color and background of the text. Brightness and contrast are adjusted automatically. The control panel is located under the monitor, which allows you to operate the device almost intuitively. Thanks to the large, easily moving table, a person feels comfortable when reading.

Portable reading machines also appeared on the market. KNFB Reader is especially popular. This program runs on Nokia 82 mobile phone. It recognizes and reads documents.

Blind people can also use special computer devices. Good means of screen zoom, as well as speech and Braille access, have Macintosh computers. All the technologies necessary for blind people are combined by the DAVID computer. Screen readers work great on netbooks and subnotebooks.

There are a wide variety of Braille printers on the market:

• Index-Everest allows you to work with plain paper and create Braille documents that are completely ready for use immediately after printing;
• Index 4 X 4 PRO is a two-sided high-speed braille printer that can be controlled by a special panel on which all commands are written both in braille and in flat version.

The choice of Braille displays is wide enough. This "Vario" is small and light, powerful enough and flexible, extremely economical and optimal for the user. "SuperVario" is a braille display. It can work with any personal computers, as well as with laptops, reading machines.

Electronic "notebooks" have been created for blind people. They allow you to read the text in a "computer" voice, make corrections to it using the Braille keyboard, and also find the necessary fragment. These are, for example, iPod players from Apple.

Computer technologies form socially adaptive and communication skills in blind students, allowing them to integrate into the modern society of sighted people. Typhlotechnical means perform important role in remedial and developmental classes:

• help the teacher to solve correctional and developmental tasks;
• increase the level of knowledge, skills and abilities;
• accelerate the process of achieving goals;
• increase the motivation of children with vision problems for activities that are difficult for them;
• enable the group to work productively.

In order to determine visual acuity, the following diagnostic tools are used:

• table for the study of visual acuity;
• Rabkin tables for the study of color vision;
• four-point color test, or for the study of binocular vision;
• prism test for children younger age to determine binocular vision.

Vision Correction Tools

Modern means of correcting visual impairment can prevent the progression of a decrease in visual impairment. This can be done using a variety of optical equipment to develop visual acuity, binocular vision and color discrimination, as well as fixing the gaze. It includes various kinds magnifiers, lenses and telescopic glasses.

"FIREFLY"

Correction device "Svetlyachok" is designed in two versions: desktop and portable. Its purpose is to copy various drawings, graphs and diagrams. The device consists of a wooden frame with illumination, the working field of which is made of organic frosted glass. Metal plates are fixed along its long edges, which, together with magnetic inserts, form a system for attaching sheets of paper.

Correction device "Firefly" performs the following functions:

• actively develops the tracking function of the eyes;
• exercises the child in visual-motor coordination "
• contributes to the formation of binocular vision;
• good effect on the development of speech, memory and logical thinking.

When using the Firefly device, graphic skills are improved. The "Graphics" device has the same functions. You can develop vision with the help of the Topaz magnifying glass. It is equipped with a display that changes the brightness, size and contrast of images, as well as their color. The manual contributes to the enrichment of the sensory and sensory experience of the child, the development of hand-eye coordination and visual perception, orientation on horizontal and vertical surfaces, speech and attention. The device "Topaz" is recommended for use in teaching children suffering from converging and diverging, myopia and hypermetropia.

"Amblyocor"

The device "Amblyocor" is used in ophthalmology to restore visual acuity. It uses the method of video computer auto-training. It is based on the technology of conditioned reflexes, which allows you to restore control of the nervous system over the processes that occur in the visual analyzer. This method allows you to develop the natural ability of the brain to restore the image that is distorted by.

For the development of vision, computer programs have been created:

• The program "Chibis" - allows you to assess the state of binocular stereovision and treat binocular disorders with functional methods.
• The KLINOK-2 program is a complex interactive computer program for the diagnosis and treatment of strabismus, which allows you to carry out all the traditional procedures of hardware treatment performed on the synoptophore.
• The "FLOWER" program refers to interactive training programs that have a game character. She offers the patient a series of increasingly difficult, but the same type of visual exercises.
• The "eYe" program can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of strabismus and, as well as the development and restoration of binocular vision.
• The "Contour" program is used for the treatment of amblyopia, as well as the development and restoration of binocular vision.
• The Crosses program belongs to the category of game pattern stimulators for the treatment of amblyopia. It uses an inverting chess field. During stimulation, neurons are activated and interneuronal connections are restored at all levels of the visual system.
• The Spider program is another game that treats amblyopia. It stimulates visual functions through structured dynamic images.

Of people. Since I have been dealing with this problem for almost a year and wrote a diploma on this topic, I would like to offer my view on solving the problem of people with disabilities. The article will be of interest not only to IT specialists, but also to entrepreneurs, as well as people interested in the problem of disability.

The first idea to create a device came to me when I started studying microcontrollers at the institute. I really wanted to stop coding examples with LEDs, PWMs and other microcontroller initialization, and do something cool and useful, in real life. I decided to put a self-made parking sensors on my car, mounting it in the front bumper (it was already in the back, and in the front, in Moscow conditions, it is often useful). I assembled a circuit on my knee on an arduino mini, played around, quenched my thirst.

Concept and prototype

Statistics on the prevalence of the visually impaired

According to the World Health Organization, there are about 37 million blind people worldwide and 124 million with low vision.
According to some data, the number of registered blind and visually impaired people in Russia is 218 thousand people, of which 103 thousand are completely blind. of these, from 610 to 780 thousand are completely blind.
By 2020, the number of blind people in the world could rise to 75 million(according to the UN).

For more serious tests, a second prototype was created, in a rigid case and already with a battery:

Test results

Competitors

Technical part

Turns out it's a very broad topic.

Electronic signaling devices are widely used in workshops in factories in many industries. One of the most important needs for signaling devices is feedback to the operator that the desired result has been achieved by one or another machine or mechanism. Almost all signaling devices on the market contain an audible alarm to warn of the result. In addition, some appliances contain visual signaling mechanisms, such as light bulbs of various colors (usually red, yellow, and green). In noisy environments or places where the tool is used with limited visibility of its user interface, it is possible that none of these alarms are sufficient to notify the operator. A suitable solution to this problem is to combine visual and audible warnings to the operator with tactile signaling, through vibration. The benefits of vibration feedback are well known to anyone who uses a mobile phone.
Quote from my thesis

Meanwhile, the electronic stuffing was chosen. This will be a self-made board (because the arduino takes up a lot of space), sensors (ultrasound + infrared) and a battery:

On the atmega88 board (or atmega168 like on arduino), a set of mikruhs for charging the battery and controlling the electric motor, a pulse voltage converter, a sound buzzer, and more. The whole thing was calculated and tested with oscilloscopes, etc. (up to justifying the choice of transistors), the thesis is the same =) Ordered at a factory in China, cheap and very good quality. The board is double-sided, size 24x48mm, SMD components (size 0603), indents between tracks in some places 0.15 mm. For the quality of soldering, do not throw tomatoes, for the first time I soldered such a trifle, without a normal station and with terrible solder:

Then the hull concept was created:


The koprus is attached to the hand on a strap, in the area of ​​​​the wrist (back of the hand). A silver tablet on the strap below is a vibration motor for communicating the device with a person. There are a couple of buttons on the case (on-off, near-far modes), a socket for a plug from the power supply to charge the battery. And of course, two cute eyes, almost a hero from the touching cartoon Wally =)

The first real prototype printed on a 3D printer turned out to be a little scarier than the concept, but everything has its time:

Characteristics of the developed device and the principle of operation

• Obstacle detection range - up to 7 meters;
• Weight - less than 150 grams;
• Size - no more than 7x7x3.5 centimeters (LxWxH);
• Battery life - more than 4 hours;
• Operating temperature - up to -30 degrees;
• Food - from the built-in accumulator, the charger in a set.

Participation in exhibitions, international travel, dating

Economic part, commercialization and difficulties

In the course of work, I realized that it is very difficult to pull such a project on oneself. Starting production turned out to be a difficult issue, there are a lot of pitfalls, for example, with patenting, certification, sales-distribution, warranty-repair-return. In addition, I have already spent a decent amount of my own funds on the entire project (thanks to previous projects that created some kind of financial cushion), which tend to end =)
Over time, there are also difficulties - I am preparing to pass the international exam in English and enter the European Master's / Postgraduate studies. At the same time, I am running another project, which, unlike the device, makes a profit in the short term, and somehow with its help I close the appetite of the voracious device =)

Results

Tiflotechnics is called the instrument-making industry special purpose. It refers to the development of technical means aimed at education, polytechnic, industrial training, labor activity and cultural services for the blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind. In addition, tiflotechnics performs the tasks of correcting, developing and restoring vision.

"Typhlos" in Greek means "blind". Therefore, typhlotechnics is a technique for the blind, which can include both the simplest devices and devices of high complexity, to replace visual (visual) control with other types of sensitivity. In other words, this is one of the most powerful factors in compensating for lost vision.

Functions and tasks of tiflotechnics

One of the main functions of tiflotechnics is to create opportunities for a blind person to receive complete information about the world around and its application for self-adaptation in the life of society. Compensation for visual defects is carried out mainly due to the use of intact analyzers - touch and hearing. Therefore, in the development of typhlotechnics, the main way to solve this problem is the transformation of visual information into auditory and tactile.

The main tasks of tiflotechnics are the following:

• Reducing the limitation in the orientation of the blind in space, caused by complete or partial loss of vision;
• Creation of the necessary technical conditions for diversified development and obtaining additional necessary education, with a further increase in the cultural level;
• Expansion of the possibility of using the labor of the blind in modern mechanized production;
• Increasing the productivity and economic efficiency of their work;
• Facilitating the orientation of the blind in everyday life, creating the possibility of organizing cultural recreation and leisure.

When developing devices, typhlotechnics are based on the following principles:

• Replacing the function of vision with the functions of other intact analyzers when using acoustic, tactile, proprioceptive options for displaying information;
• Creation of a visual signal that exceeds the interference created by a defect in the visual analyzer;
• Rational use safe analyzers.

Types and forms of typhlotechnical means

It is customary to divide all means of special typhlotechnical use into: household, educational and technical means.

Thanks to them, the opportunities for the participation of the blind in various spheres of socio-cultural life and activities are expanding. In the field of education, children with visual impairments use the listed funds in educational and correctional and developmental classes provided for by the curriculum.

Household typhlotechnical means. They make it possible to expand the cognitive activity of the blind and represent the basis for raising their physical and cultural level. This includes:

Projection equipment and devices for reading from varying degrees magnification:

• Device-stand "Sigma" designed for reading flat texts by people with low vision. It provides the best conditions for reading printed publications, as well as handwritten texts. The Sigma device, with three degrees of freedom, allows you to install the front panel with some text in a position convenient for the eyes. This reduces eye fatigue, which is contraindicated for visually impaired people. In addition, the Sigma device is equipped with an individual fluorescent lamp, which is designed for an additional light source for general room lighting;
• The VideoLight-VGA Magnifier is a multifunctional vision assistant for reading texts and viewing images. The device looks like a table lamp, and its simple and convenient design ensures simplicity and ease of use;
• SenseView electronic pocket magnifier. It has a very small size and can work for at least 4.5 hours without recharging from the mains. The magnifier has a 10.9cm flat screen and weighs 221g. SenseView makes it easy to read the fine print of printed texts and fill out forms.
• Vehicles that provide the blind and visually impaired with safety in independent movement.
• Special canes (support, long, folding, laser, etc.);
• Orientation systems - special light and laser locators. Their principle of operation is based on the reflection of waves from obstacles.
• Electronic devices with audible and tactile alarms.
• Portable apparatus "Landmark", designed to build a plan of the area on a plane, plans of buildings or frequently visited premises, laying traffic routes, as well as elementary graphs, diagrams, geometric shapes, etc.
• Electronic compass "Peleng-01", which is designed for spatial orientation and independent movement in open space, without local landmarks.
• Means of economic and cultural purposes.
• Talking steelyard for household purposes "Sonar-B1" for weighing at home loads up to 10 kg;
• Household tape measure with voice output VOXTape;
• Acoustic beacon "Kenar" with audible liquid level indicator;
• Electronic timer that allows the user to locate the device by ear;
• Medical thermometer with speech output DX6623B, designed to measure armpit temperature;
• Automatic needle threader;
• Braille wrist watch "Rocket", alarm clock talking with a thermometer, talking quartz and mechanical wrist watches;
• Household electronic speaking scales;
• Talking tonometer;
• Talking calculator;
• Dosing devices (sugar bowl, knife, pepper pot, cork, etc.);
• Knife, fisherman;
• Meter for the blind;
• Chess for the blind;
• Denomination of banknotes "PALITRA-02" with the ability to recognize different denominations of Russian banknotes.
• Stick Talk communicator that allows people with hearing and visual impairments to communicate. This is something between a voice recorder, a telephone and a notebook. Its function is to memorize what was said and display it in text on the screen. Or recognize "handwritten" text when using a Stick Talk stick as a pencil.

Educational tiflotechnics. Devices that make it possible to enrich the content, as well as teaching methods for visually impaired, blind and deaf-blind students in special schools, universities and vocational training institutions.

• Screen readers for the visually impaired:
• ZoomText from Ai Squared, which increases the magnification of the screen image and is provided with speech accompaniment of the displayed information.
• The Kutzweil program from Lernout & Hauspie (USA), which allows you to enlarge the screen image in various modes, recognize and scan text. It is equipped with a multilingual navigator, with a Russian-language speech driver.
• Speech synthesis programs:
• JAWS speech program for WINDOWS OS (since 2008 there are six Russian-language synthesizers).
• EPARD speech program for DOS.
• The Virgo speech program from the German manufacturer Baum Electronics, which allows the blind to work with Windows using the Braille line and through the synthesizer.
• The NVDA speech program is the first product with full Russification and a rapidly emerging Russian-speaking community of users.
• The speech program System Access from Serotek (not Russified and is designed for the English version of Windows.

Technical means. Equipment for better access of the visually impaired to the information environment modern society, such as:

• Instruments and devices for Braille reading;
• Adapted typewriters;
• ABC Braille block, cube - Braille letter, etc.

Severe visual impairment entails changes in information exchange. Electronic tiflotechnics helps to avoid this, allowing, even in the absence of vision, to obtain objective and reliable information about reality. Special funds information support, in addition, provide quick access for visually impaired students to the necessary information. The latest computer technology enables people with profound violations vision to independently create and receive information in a generally accepted form, which means introducing them to the information culture.

The use of computer programs in working with blind students is the creation of a game environment with the presentation of correctional tasks and a variety of material. Monitoring the actions of the student and regulating the pace of learning, as well as its complexity. At the same time, even with repeated repetition of exercises on the computer, to form a certain skill, children retain a steady interest in their implementation.

This is facilitated by reading machines that convert traditional letters into tactile, auditory and tactile-vibration signals, which at the output give the sound design of letters:

• Reading machine INFA-100, which is an automated information centre, which provides many categories of blind users with access to independent reading of printed texts through speech conversion, with output to a Braille display, as well as printing them on a Braille printer using any combination of methods.
• Reading machine "Book Lover Compact", including a computer and a scanner. In addition to speech output, the machine has a braille display output. It has a huge memory and a storage capacity of over 500,000 pages.
• Full color Visio reader with auto focus and 17” LCD monitor. Thanks to the automatic exposure, there is no need to adjust the contrast and brightness. Control keys allow you to control the device almost intuitively. The easy-moving large table provides the best reading comfort. Individual adjustment of the device is carried out by a simple selection of parameters.
• The portable reading machine KNFB Reader is a text recognition and reading program based on the Nokia N82 mobile device.

There was also a choice in the use of special computer devices. With built-in access to operating system Apple Leopard, blind and visually impaired users got the opportunity to work on Macintosh computers. By default, any modern Mac has sufficient means of both speech and Braille access, and screen zoom is also provided.

The first computer designed for the blind was the David laptop. It provides huge opportunities that are simply incomparable with its compact size. The computer combines all technologies for the blind, including braille, speech synthesizer, text enlargement and many new features. DAVID works with DOS, although it is possible to work with Windows applications. The operating time of the machine is 5 hours, then the batteries must be charged from the mains for 2 hours.

Netbooks or subnotebooks have gained immense popularity. These devices, weighing up to 1 kg, have the technical capabilities comparable to a standard laptop and at times lower cost. Their main advantage is screen access programs.

There is a choice of Braille printers and displays:

• Index-Everest is a high-speed braille printer that works with plain paper and allows you to create braille documents immediately after printing, ready to use. Everest equipped with voice communication and a braille control panel, the printer is easy to install and easy to operate for visually impaired and blind users.
• Index 4 X 4 PRO is a high-speed two-sided braille printer for double format sheets. It is controlled by a special panel, with commands written in Braille, as well as in a flat version.
• Vario is a new generation of braille displays. It's tiny, lightweight, highly economical, powerful and flexible, a user-optimized device that can be used at any time. Thanks to the built-in battery, its operating time is 40-50 hours without recharging, after which it needs to be recharged for about 2.5 hours. The VARIO is so small that it fits easily in front of a computer keyboard;
• Braille display "SuperVario", a device that works with any personal computers, laptops or reading machines. This display has all the necessary features for convenient operation, combined with great control flexibility and high reliability.

Another necessary gadget for the blind is electronic "notebooks". These devices are equipped with a speech adapter and allow you to make edits to the read text fragment from the Braille keyboard.

Since 2008, well-known Ipad players have become available for the blind. Today they have the possibility of a voice menu, voice tags, with song titles.

It should be noted that computer technologies have become a means of developing socially adaptive and communication skills in blind students for their further integration into modern society.

Typhlotechnical means for correctional and developmental activities. As a rule, this is medical equipment that plays an important role in improving the efficiency of doctors and teachers. Depending on the functions of the device, they are divided into:

• Diagnostic tools for visual impairment:
• Visual acuity study table with letters, numbers or other signs.
• Rabkin's table for the study of color vision and the identification of all types of color blindness.
• Four-point color test for the study of binocular vision.
• A prism test used to study binocular vision in young children.
• Means of correction of visual impairments, allowing to restore incomplete vision, to preserve the residual.
• Optical equipment for the development of color discrimination, visual acuity, binocular vision, gaze fixation (lenses, magnifiers, telescopic glasses);
• Correction device "FIREFLY" (desktop and portable) is intended for copying drawings, graphs, charts, etc. It contributes to the development of the tracking function of the eyes and the formation of binocular vision, has a positive effect on the development of memory, logical thinking, attention, and speech. Improves graphic skills;
• Devices "Landmark" and "Graphics" - study guides to correct the spatial orientation of blind or visually impaired children. Their use contributes to the development of sensory, motor skills, speech, etc.
• Optical magnifier "Topaz". This is a display capable of changing the size, brightness and contrast of images, as well as their color. The manual is multifunctional, contributing to the enrichment of the sensory and sensory perception of the child, the development of visual-motor coordination, visual perception, orientation on horizontal and vertical surfaces. The Topaz magnifying glass is effectively used in children with myopia and.
• Device "Amblyocor". It is used to restore impaired vision. As a method for implementing the impact, "video-computer auto-training" is used. With its help, the natural ability of the brain to restore an image distorted by the eye is developed.
• Computer game programs:
• Program "Chibis", carrying out training and test procedures to assess binocular vision and the effectiveness of the treatment of binocular disorders.
• KLINOK-2 program. This is an interactive program for the diagnosis and treatment of strabismus, including all procedures that are performed on the synoptophore.
• Game training program "FLOWER" with series of the same type, visual ones becoming more complicated.
• The "AI" program based on the methods of orthoptics, diploptics, for the diagnosis and treatment of amblyopia, strabismus and the development of binocular vision. The exercises are based on methods of dividing fields. Classes are carried out with the use of red-blue glasses.
• The program "Cross" - a game pattern-stimulator for the treatment of amblyopia, using an inverted chess field. Black-and-white, yellow-blue and red-green chess fields are used to influence color-opponent and brightness channels of vision.
• The program for the restoration of binocular vision and the treatment of amblyopia "Contour". These are binocular exercises for drawing fragments of drawings visible with one eye, used to eliminate the suppression of the functions of a poorly seeing eye and to train fusion.
• The "Spider" program is a game form of amblyopia treatment. Stimulation here is carried out by structured dynamic images. As a result, both the macula and the periphery receive simultaneous excitation, activating vasomotor activity, convergence and accommodation.