Blind may be able to drive using modern technology now developed

 

[caption id="attachment_7825" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Graig Chavez speaking about blindness"][/caption]

Editor--The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, College of Engineering (Virginia Tech) announced this week they have partnered to demonstrate the first street vehicle for the blind to drive independently.

The vehicle is scheduled to be demonstrated to the public as part of the pre-race activities at the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona.  The Ford Escape, equipped with nonvisual interface technology, will be driven by a blind individual who will navigate part of the famed Daytona International Speedway course on January 29, 2011.

"The National Federation of the Blind is dedicated to the development of innovative technology to improve the lives of blind Americans, and Virginia Tech has accepted our challenge to apply nonvisual interfaces to the task of driving, which has always been wrongly considered impossible for blind people, " says Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind.

Dr. Maurer goes on to explain further, " But 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.  We are pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate the fruits of our efforts before the automobile enthusiasts and racing fans at the Rolex 24 At Daytona."

What will happen at Daytona?    Dr. Maurer tells us, "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."

Dr. Dennis Hong, Director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech, said: "Three years ago we accepted the NFB Blind Driver Challenge to develop a vehicle that can be driven by a blind person."

Developing a car to meet the challenge for the blind is explained by Hong further, " The challenge was not the development of an autonomous vehicle that could drive a blind person around, but rather the creation of nonvisual interfaces that would allow a blind person to actually make driving decisions.  The first-generation prototype was demonstrated with a modified dune buggy at the NFB Youth Slam in the summer of 2009.  We are pleased to work with NFB and Grand-Am to demonstrate the second-generation prototype at the Rolex 24 festivities."

"GRAND-AM is honored to lend its support to this intriguing—and inspirational—project," said GRAND-AM Spokesman Herb Branham.  "The Rolex 24 At Daytona is a showcase for the latest automobile technology, making this race an appropriate backdrop for the first public demonstration of a car that can be driven by the blind."

The NFB Jernigan Institute has challenged technology researchers to meet the NFB Blind Driver Challenge so that blind people can drive a car independently.

This new technology, being unveiled 2011, is one of the newest answers to that challenge.