The companies Samsung and Ashirase are showing new products for visually impaired user groups at CES. Ashirase develops a navigation system for the blind. Samsung has developed image optimization for people with severely impaired vision, for example caused by glaucoma.
This is what it looks like on the screen when you can no longer focus the image.
So that patients can continue to recognize the image content of a TV or monitor, Samsung increases the contrast, color saturation and sharpness in the image excessively and also strengthens the edges again by over-emphasizing them. While images in Relumino mode are reminiscent of a cartoon painting for people with normal vision, the same exaggerated display enables the visually impaired to see anything on the screen at all.
Overemphasized edges in Relumino mode make it easier for the visually impaired to see objects.
We were able to try this out by putting on glasses with extremely blurred lenses: In fact, with Relumino, content was easier to see, or even visible at all. According to Samsung, all TVs from the S80 model series support the Relumino mode.
On the left the classic image, on the right the overemphasized Relumino variant for people whose vision is no longer working properly.
The Japanese start-up Ashirase, on the other hand, has placed small electromechanical impulse generators in plastic tongues that can be plugged into and onto the shoe in just a few simple steps. They then sit directly on the ankle and sensitive upper foot of the visually impaired. An app connects the vibration sensors to the navigation system and sends electrical impulses to the insoles as soon as the user has to prepare for a change of direction – for example, if the car is to turn right, the right tongue of the shoe vibrates.
The vibration of the plastic tongues in the shoe is present when walking without restricting other senses.
Visually impaired people constantly check their safety and the route to the destination when walking alone. However, since they have to use all their remaining senses to obtain information to compensate for their limited vision, they become unsettled and, in the worst case, get lost. The three-dimensional vibration device, including a motion sensor, does not affect the wearer’s hands or hearing, which is particularly helpful when the disabled person is moving in traffic with a walking stick.
The small puk contains the battery as well as a situation and position sensor.
The project was created as part of Honda’s Ignition program. Ashirase has already patented the vibration insoles and plans to launch them by the end of the first quarter.
Note: Samsung has covered the author’s travel expenses to CES.
(uk)
