The objective of this study is to improve the quality of life for the visually impaired by restoring their ability to self-navigate. In this paper we describe a compact, wearable device that converts visual information into a tactile signal. This device, constructed entirely from commercially available parts, enables the user to perceive distant objects via a different sensory modality. Preliminary data suggest that this device is useful for object avoidance in simple environments.
Lise A. Johnson and Charles M. Higgins, "A Navigation Aid for the Blind Using Tactile-Visual Sensory Substitution" in Proceedings the 28th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC '06), pp 6298-6292, New York, NY, USA, 2006.