A cross-modal electronic travel aid device

This paper describes the design of an Electronic Travel Aid device, that will enable blind individuals to “see the world with their ears.” A wearable prototype will be assembled using low-cost hardware: earphones, sunglasses fitted with two CMOS micro cameras, and a palmtop computer. Currently, the system is able to detect the light spot produced by a laser pointer, compute its angular position and depth, and generate a correspondent sound providing the auditory cues for the perception of the position and distance of the pointed surface. In this way the blind person can use a common pointer as a replacement of the cane.