Researchers at Stanford University say that they have borrowed the technology used in self-driving cars, which can identify obstacles in the environment surrounding the blind and alert him about, and above all, push him away from them to a safe place, according to the “Science Alert” website, on Sunday.
The researchers conducted experiments on the smart stick, noting that it increases the speed of the blind by 18 percent.
Given that there are about 250 million people in the world suffering from vision problems that amount to total loss, the new method constitutes a major revolution in their quality of life.
One of the challenges facing the new innovation is to make the smart stick affordable for everyone.
The current models of smart sticks are expensive and heavy to the point that they seem impractical, but the new stick seems more accessible and at a price of up to $ 400, or a tenth of the cost of current sticks.
“We want something more intuitive than just a stick with sensors,” says Stanford mechanical engineer Patrick Slade.
He added, “We want something that not only tells you that something is in your way, but tells you what it is and helps you get around it.”
The new stick relies on the (LIDAR) technology that determines light and range, as this technology uses laser beams to detect objects and determine the distance from them.
This technology is similar to how the Global Positioning System (GPS) works.
The new blind stick also relies on several artificial intelligence algorithms, including building a method to build a map of an unknown area, while tracking the location and movement of the blind.
The new stick was developed with the help of blind people who provided valuable feedback, the new innovation design team said.
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