International Business Machines Corporation

Richard E Von Mering

Gary Walter Behm

Alfred J Noll

An apparatus and a method for enhancing a field of vision of a user with a visual impairment to help the user to navigate safely in the surroundings. The apparatus includes a body, at least one video device coupled to the body for recording a visual image of a physical environment surrounding the user, at least one monitor coupled to the body, a processor which receives signals from the at least one video device and operatively controls the at least one monitor to display the visual image recorded by the at least one video device, and a tunnel vision finder to determine the user's actual vision size. The method includes the step of determining the user's actual vision size, acquiring a visual image of a physical environment surrounding the user, processing the visual image, and displaying the visual image in the user's actual vision.

Apparatus and method for enhancing field of vision of the visually impaired

An apparatus for providing information about a physical surrounding environment to a user includes an elongate body having first and second opposing ends and a mast, at least one sensor mountably coupled to the mast, at least one dual purpose, bi-directional haptic force feedback device including first and second haptic force feedback mechanisms and a vibrator, and a processor, which receives signals from the at least one sensor and operatively controls the at least one dual purpose, bi-directional haptic force feedback device.

Method and apparatus for tactile haptic device to guide user in real-time obstacle avoidance

An apparatus for providing information about a three-dimensional environment to a user includes; a handle, at least one sensor operatively coupled to the handle, a tactile pad disposed on the handle, a plurality of tactile buttons arrayed on the tactile pad, a plurality of actuators, wherein each actuator is operatively coupled to one of the plurality of tactile buttons to control a height thereof in relation to the tactile pad, and a processor which receives signals from the at least one sensor and controls positioning of the plurality of actuators to represent a physical environment sensed by the at least one sensor.

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Pine Bush, NY, United States of America

Richard E Von Mering