Wearable Device Helps Visually Impaired Avoid Collision
From: Medical Design Technology - 03/27/2015

People who have lost some of their peripheral vision, such as those with
retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, or brain injury that causes half visual field
loss, often face mobility challenges and increased likelihood of falls and
collisions. As therapeutic vision restoration treatments are still in their
infancy, rehabilitation approaches using assistive technologies are often
times viable alternatives for addressing mobility challenges related to
vision loss.

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Schepens Eye Research Institute
used an obstacle course to evaluate a wearable collision warning device they
developed for patients with peripheral vision loss. They found the device may
help patients with a wide range of vision loss avoid collisions with
high-level obstacles.  

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2015/03/wearable-device-helps-visually-impaired-avoid-collision
http://www.masseyeandear.org/news/press_releases/recent/2015_Avoiding_Collision_Device/
http://www.wirelessdesignmag.com/news/2015/03/wearable-device-helps-vision-impaired-avoid-collision

Links:
Evaluation of a portable collision warning device for patients with
  peripheral vision loss in an obstacle course 
http://www.iovs.org/content/early/2015/03/18/iovs.14-15935.1.full.pdf+html

Gang Luo, PhD
http://www.masseyeandear.org/research/ophthalmology/investigators/details?investigator_id=80485001
http://www.schepens.harvard.edu/profileluo/gang-luo-phd/profile.html

Mobility Enhancement and Vision Rehabilitation
http://www.masseyeandear.org/research/ophthalmology/centers/mobility-and-vision-rehabilitation/

Mobility Assistance Devices
http://www.schepens.harvard.edu/research-projectsluo/gang-luo-phd/research-projects.html

Portable collision warning device for blind (video 0:15)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fiCDh-UxbQ

Smart Guidance System for the Blind (video 5:08)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IpR-nzrlQ0