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Staff at Virginia Tech and the National Federation of the Blind have pooled resources to develop a road-legal car for severely visually impaired drivers.
The project - which saw the selfsame team construct a frame buggy last year to test various components and interfaces - is now in its road testing phase with Ford Escape small SUV.
Two Ford Escape test vehicles are currently being evaluated – equipped with a list of trick features to enable blind drivers to pilot a vehicle autonomously.
The Virginia Tech team’s original buggy concept featured audio relay, emanating from the steering wheel, to help guide blind drivers.
Audio informs drivers about road surface conditions, obstacles and (quite importantly) vehicle speed. It won’t form a key part of the Ford Escape test vehicles though, as the Virginia Tech team wished to develop a more sophisticaed interface.
As part of the Ford Escape blind driver interface a vibrating vest and gloves combine with a gadget called the AirPix to simulate road topography and obstacles.
The AirPix is a tablet like device which disperses compressed air (via a multitude of tiny openings) to alert the driver to potential hazards.
Gathering all the road information for the blind driver interface systems are an array of sensors and lasers, perpetually scanning the road ahead for changes.
Virginia Tech's Ford Escape test vehicles are due to put on a public demonstration at the Daytona International Speedway next January - just before the famous 24 hour race begins.
The aim of the exercise is not to enable blind driving as such, but to facilitate the acceleration of interface technology to benefit the visually impaired in all facets of life.
The project - which saw the selfsame team construct a frame buggy last year to test various components and interfaces - is now in its road testing phase with Ford Escape small SUV.
Two Ford Escape test vehicles are currently being evaluated – equipped with a list of trick features to enable blind drivers to pilot a vehicle autonomously.
The Virginia Tech team’s original buggy concept featured audio relay, emanating from the steering wheel, to help guide blind drivers.
Audio informs drivers about road surface conditions, obstacles and (quite importantly) vehicle speed. It won’t form a key part of the Ford Escape test vehicles though, as the Virginia Tech team wished to develop a more sophisticaed interface.
As part of the Ford Escape blind driver interface a vibrating vest and gloves combine with a gadget called the AirPix to simulate road topography and obstacles.
The AirPix is a tablet like device which disperses compressed air (via a multitude of tiny openings) to alert the driver to potential hazards.
Gathering all the road information for the blind driver interface systems are an array of sensors and lasers, perpetually scanning the road ahead for changes.
Virginia Tech's Ford Escape test vehicles are due to put on a public demonstration at the Daytona International Speedway next January - just before the famous 24 hour race begins.
The aim of the exercise is not to enable blind driving as such, but to facilitate the acceleration of interface technology to benefit the visually impaired in all facets of life.
