Ever thought of a blind man driving a car? Gone are the days when we used to assist a blind man help reach his destination. Virginia Tech University along with National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is developing a new car that can be driven in safe and sound manner by a blind person.
The car will be presented on the famous Daytona International Speedway track next year. The model will be a modified Ford Escape sport utility vehicle. The blind person will be able to drive the vehicle with the help of the technology fitted that lets the blind person to drive on its own.
The car will be operated via a number of non-visual interfaces. Like, sensors indicating turns in the road via vibrating gloves.
Other features comprise of a vibrating vest that gives feedback on speed, a click counter steering wheel with audio cues and verbalized commands for feedback on the car’s direction. Another method uses puffs of compressed air from behind the wheel to make the driver vigilant about the objects around the car, such as other vehicles or obstacles on the road.
Last year Virginia Tech turned a beach buggy into an experimental vehicle for blind drivers. Sensor lasers and cameras were used as the eyes of the buggy.
NFB president Marc Maurer said, “We’re exploring areas that have previously been regarded as unexplorable.” “we are not trying to build a technology alone. We are trying to build a technology that can be combined with an intellect to do things that neither could do alone.”
“This demonstration will break down the wall of stereotypes and misconceptions that prevent our full integration into society by showing the public that the blind have the same capacities as everyone else. Our only challenge is access to the information we need.”
“We’re moving away “from the theory that blindness ends the capacity of human beings to make contributions to society”.
People thought him to be a crazy man as he started talking about the car driven by blind person ten years ago.
Furthermore, the prototype is expected be tested in public by a blind driver on the Daytona race track in Florida next January.