New Wearable Computer Helps Blind Navigate
From: NewsFactor Network - 09/12/2002
By: Jay Lyman

A wearable computer project at the University of Florida aims to give blind
people directions using a global positioning system (GPS) device, wireless
connection, and spatial database. Users can walk about the university campus
and receive voice prompts telling them where they are in relation to
obstacles, pathways, and destinations. The spatial database already has
records of walkways, bridges, fences, and similar items, while speech
recognition technology allows for spoken prompts to be understood by the
computer. The Xybernaut MAV wearable computer connects with the database via
a WLAN connection or Motorola iDEN phone, and the system is able to determine
location with the GPS device. University of Florida master's degree student
Steve Moore leads the project and plans to produce a commercial product
within two years. In the future, a network of cameras could be substituted
for GPS in places where the GPS signal does not reach. Currently, Moore says
the most work needs to be done on the speech function and in updating the
database. 

Read the entire story at:
http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/19386.html