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The Polytechnic University of Bucharest, through the Faculty of Automation and Computers, together with partners from four other European countries, has developed the most revolutionary integrated system that allows the blind to perceive the environment through an alternative representation, based on sounds and vibrations. Sound of Vision (soundofvision.net) is a European project Horizon 2020 with an extremely ambitious objective - the creation of a wearable device. At the end of the project, the product system, in the prototype stage (TRL 8) is an integrated solution that includes hardware, software and training procedures.

“The system has been intensively tested, involving a large number of blinders, and iteratively refined based on feedback. The results are extremely promising: trained users are able to perceive the environment and navigate extremely dynamically using the prototype

The blind man actually feels what objects are around him, so he can orient, navigate and move easily. We integrate many other things into the system, such as special categories of objects that are special, doors, stairs, potholes, obstacles at head height, those that are not ordinary objects but require special attention, they are represented in a special way, so they I feel there is a door, a ladder, and so on. Moreover, many other things are implemented that are of interest to them, such as walking on the sidewalk, having a guide, or detecting traffic signs, zebra and traffic light from pedestrian crossings, traffic light color, texts. When you want and press a button and the system plays the text. For example, here is the pharmacy, here is the grocery. There are solutions to cover them and integrate them into a system that is integrative. We will probably also integrate GPS-related navigation, and the system has the potential to become the overall solution as an artificial feel.”

Within 3-5 years it can be imagined as glasses, a belt, a waistcoat / shirt that does not bother with anything and the mobile phone.

In terms of costs do not go very high, below 1000 euros, this is our target with the prospect of decreasing as production increases.