Navigation system offers travel autonomy for the blind

Article Summary

A new device which enables blind people to navigate without other assistance promises unprecedented autonomy for the sight impaired. The Tormes system is a small computer using the Sonobraille platform, which includes a Braille keyboard and voice synthesiser, plus several navigation technologies to give a high degree of positioning accuracy. The system can be queried and responds with verbal directions, like any GPS device in a car, but weighing less than one kilo it can be carried over the shoulder. It can be used in two ways: to guide the user to their destination or to tell them where they are as they walk around.

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