AWARD YEAR
2017
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Reduced Inequality
KEYWORDS
wearable , for blind people , Sensor
COUNTRY
Venezuela
DESIGNED BY
Jorge Paez, Nomad
WEBSITE
http://www.j-paez.com/nomad-1
Nomad
A digital guide for the visually impaired
Industrial design student, Jorge Paez, has designed a headset concept to tackle some of the challenges faced by those with visual impairment in their day-to-day lives.
The nomad sensor uses two front facing and two side facing LiDAR proximity sensors, similar to the ones used on autonomous vehicles; as well as a 180 degree rear camera to detect obstacles the user would otherwise not see.
These sensors are mounted on a pair of specially designed bone-conducting headphones. The bone-conducting headphones do not obstruct the user’s hearing, which is crucial for the visually impaired. Conducting sound through the temples leaves the ears free from obstructions. A series of ‘dings’ sound when approaching an obstacle to alert the user where the obstacle is. As the obstacle gets closer, the sound alerts increase in speed. Nomad also uses Blindsquare – an app similar to Google maps. Blindsquare is specifically designed for people with visual impairments.