Tag Archives: blind

LookTell brings “artificial vision” to smartphones for the blind

LookTel combines the power of a Smartphone with advanced “artificial vision” software to create a helpful electronic assistant for anyone who is visually impaired or blind. You can use LookTel to automatically scan and recognize objects such as money, packaged goods, CDs, DVDs, and medication bottles, as well as landmarks. Point the device video camera at what you wish to “see” and it will pronounce the name very quickly in clear and easy to understand speech. LookTel can be taught to recognize all the objects and landmarks you wish to identify. With a small amount of help from a sighted assistant one can easily teach LookTel to be your helpful assistant for many tasks where vision makes a difference in your independence. LookTel also incorporates a text reader allowing users to get access to print media.

This advanced software from LookTell is absolutely stunning.  If the final product is anything like this beta demo, it is going to be a major technological leap forward for helping the blind interact with every day objects around them.

[Via LookTell; Gizmodo]

Mug for the blind

Braun Bell Concept Mug for the Blind by Sang-hoon Lee & Yong-bum Lim

Blind people cannot see.  Without the sense of sight, it is particularly difficult to pour a glass of water or a mug coffee.  It is even more trying to pour an exactamount of liquid into a container.  Enter ‘The “Braun” Bell Mug’ concept by Sang-hoon Lee and Yong-bum Lim.  This concept mug “has 3 indicative levels on the handle and liquid-level sensors within the mug” that allow blind people (or those with extremely poor vision) to pour precise amounts of liquid into a mug.  The mug handle has three rigid buttons on its surface; all a person has to do is select one of the three levels and pour away.  Once you have poured the desired amount, the mug emits a bell sound.  Neat, huh?  This is surely a product worthy to pass as a final, tangible item to be manufactured.  Check out the gallery of images below for some concept product shots and directions.

[Via Gizmodo; YankoDesign]