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"Thimble": Another smartphone enabled concept for the visually impaired

By Sam Dunne - December 27, 2010

in Tech

You might recall the very impressive "Blinput" concept by Scotland-based design student Erik Hals from earlier this month. Well now it seems that the visually impaired could be spoiled for choice with student design projects, as University of Washington design students Erik Hedberg and Zack Bennet offer up another, potential revolutionary, smartphone application for the blind.

Where "Blinput" sought to utilise the technology already widely available in smartphones, "Thimble" combines the powers of the phone with an intriguing finger glove that offers "an entirely new literary experience" to the user. The fingertip camera would be used to scan printed text and signage and translate it into impulses of Braille within the glove. The location and real-time capabilities of the smartphone could also provide the user with relevant ambient and real-time updates at the touch of a button.

Has anyone else got any more ideas whilst we're at it?!

(via The Design Blog)

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Matt Gillespie

13 years ago

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I wonder if the braille would be too difficult to follow with a dingle digit. Many of the braille readers I know use 3 or 4 digits to read, telling me it helps them think of words as symbols rather than a collection of letters. (And many words are in fact shortened to symbols in braille.) Then again necessity is the mother of invention, and I would imagine that the adaptation could be made in time.

I wonder how many of the blind could afford this if it were a non essential item? I know that employment is a huge issue facing the blind for life. (as opposed to the aging who constitute the majority of those declared legally blind in America) I wonder how this tech could be adapted for the workplace?

Awesome project overall!

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vfx

13 years ago

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They just passed a law that all the new electric cars have to make noise. This legislation comes largely from the Congress' fear of being accused of supporting the running down of blind people. Seriously, there are a lot of luxury gasoline cars that make no noise so why the prejudice?

What about having cars carry a signal transmitter that sends a signal to the blind carrying an alerting receiver? Maybe their cell phone.

That way we don't have crowed freeways full of silent electric cars all pointlessly making beeping and whooshing noises from front bumper mounted speakers.
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Nathan Wills

13 years ago

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I love the concept, but being someone who has never learned to read Braille I wonder if it would be difficult to control the pace of your finger across the smooth text while also trying to understand the Braille input from the thimble. Since it is using a smart phone as the processor could you simply turn the text into spoken language and transmit the information to an ear piece?
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Ian Withers

13 years ago

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You ought to make note that this concept was produced by students at the University of Washington, no Washington University [in St. Louis] as stated. As an alum of both schools I know how confusing it can be, but also like to make sure people know the difference!
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