AWARD YEAR
2021
CATEGORY
Play & Learning
GOALS
Reduced Inequality
KEYWORDS
Swimming, wearables, Visually Impaired, blindness
COUNTRY
United Kingdom
DESIGNED BY
Hugh Johnston
WEBSITE
https://www.jamesdysonaward.org/2020/project/swimsight/
Swimsight
Swimming without sight
Swimsight enables the visually impaired to train independently. The head-mounted computer vision system calculates the user’s position in the lane and proximity to the wall. Corrections are then fed back to the user via an intuitive haptic navigation system.
Much like autonomous vehicles, the device uses computer vision cameras to track lane lines and calculate the user’s position. The five cameras are strategically placed to ensure that measurements are taken at regular intervals, no matter the user’s stroke length. A key innovation is the addition of an inertial measurement unit that enables the device to compensate for head movement; corrections are fed back to the user via an intuitive haptic navigation system. Two haptic motors are used to guide the swimmer in a straight line, a third alerts them when they need to turn.
Swimsight removes the need for a poolside assistant entirely, dramatically cutting costs and offering greater independence to the user.