Helping/Teaching the Vision Impaired/Blind

Ride Bicycles

QuestionHow could we improve

the way the vision impaired /blind learn

to ride a bicycle independently?

 

Research questions1. How does someone that is blind learn to ride a bike?2. Is echolocation a successful way to help the blind “see” to ride a bike?3. How do most blind people ride bikes?4. What are some bike riding organizations for the blind?5. Are there already special bikes available for blind bike riders?6. What is the blind population in the US?7. What adaptive features have the vision impaired/blind used in the past to negotiate their environment?8. What new technology is available to help the blind “see” in their environment that could help in bike riding?9. What are some safety issues related to vision impaired/blind bike riders?10. How can we help in encouraging the vision impaired/ blind to ride bikes?

Books and Resources:Books and Resources:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2436628/New-device-blind-people-ability-ride-bike-independently-using-ultrasound-warn-obstacles.html

ultra sound device that vibrate the handle bars when obstacles are in the wayhttp://www.tsbvi.edu/school/3089-out-of-the-mouths-of-moms numerous stories of how blind children have

learned to ride bikes for the first time in the same way sighted children learn to ride bikeshttp://gsap.coe.uga.edu/resources/instructional-strategies/hand-under-hand/ hands under hands method for

teaching the blindhttp://www.visionaware.org/info/everyday-living/recreation-and-leisure/sports-and-exercise/tandem-bicycling/1235

tandem bike riding has many positive outcomeshttp://www.worldaccessfortheblind.org/node/359 an organization for the blindhttp://antenna.sciencemuseum.org.uk/pointsofview/how-can-bat-sensors-help-blind-people-cycle-points-of-view

using echolocation http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/09/tech/innovation/daniel-kish-poptech-echolocation/ Daniel Kish uses echolocation http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/radar-like-inner-vision-helps-blind-learn-to-navigate-beyond-preconceived-limits/article598412/

http://bicyclingblind.org/ http://eyecyclecolorado.org/about-eyecycle/ http://www.intandembike.org/bicycling organizations for the blindhttp://www.wired.com/2013/08/argus-bionic-retina/ the Argus device to help blind seehttp://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2013/11/11/VISUAL-AID/stories/201311110021 The BrainPort

uses the tongue to send message to the brain about objectshttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2690920/Alice-band-let-blind-people-Device-relays-information-surroundings-users-earpiece.html

New device similar to Alice band by Microsoft that must have sensors positioned around environment the audibly describes environment to blind

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2659993/Smart-glasses-BLIND-Device-transforms-world-outlines-shapes-help-partially-sighted-navigate.html

Smart Glasses sees images and relays information to the blind auditorilyhttp://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/blind-technologies/ 5 deviceshttp://www.smartplanet.com/blog/science-scope/bionic-eye-can-help-blind-see-again/ Argus IIhttps://nfb.org/blindness-statistics population statistics for the blindhttp://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/kidsandbikesafetyweb/ safety tips for all bike riders

Magazines and Journals

NOAA (October 10, 2010). "What is LIDAR?". NOAA.

Fisher, Adam (September 18, 2013). "Inside Google's Quest To Popularize Self-Driving Cars". Popular Science.

Videos, Pamphlets and Books

http://airborne1.com/how_lidar.htmlhttp://lidar.cr.usgs.gov/The Manual of Airborne Topographic LiDAR. edited by Michael Renslow 

Contacts (people we have contacted about our idea):

NFB – Nation Federation for the Blind

ACB – American Council of the Blind

TCA – Tandem Clubs of AmericaDC Rainmaker – with the makers of Life BEAM Smart Helmet

Procedures:If we really built a functional “I See”

Helmet, it would be designed using the following materials:

processorhelmetear budslidar puck The helmet would be tested to prove its

safety.

Conclusion/Solution

The blind can learn to ride a bike independently by using our device to help them navigate their environment. The” I See” Helmet with Lidar technology was developed by the RoboKnights – EduHeroes.

 

Materials and Cost to Build our Device

processor: &1,774.99 http://www.newegg.com/

helmet: $5.99 http://www.turnpike.com/Ear buds: $5.99 http://www2.geeks.com/lidar puck: $7,999.99

http://www.suasnews.com/2014/09/30996/breaking-through-the-price-barrier-for-lidar-sensors-velodyne-introduces-3d-real-timelidar-puck-at-7999/

Final cost: $9,786.96Software and technology not included.

(Diagram, Drawing, Pictures)

Ways We Have Shared Our Information:

We have contacted and discussed (by email) our ideas with:

NFB – Nation Federation for the BlindACB – American Council of the BlindTCA – Tandem Clubs of AmericaDC Rainmaker – with the makers of Life BEAM

Smart Helmet We have made a webpage with information that

can be accessed using a qr code.

HypothesisWe believe that if a blind person had some type of device that helped them “see” the road and obstacles ahead of them, he could ride a bicycle independently.

ProposalTo develop a device which we will call the I See Helmet that will use Lidar technology to visualize the environment and relay information auditorily to the blind.