Toyota's Project BLAID Is an empowering mobility device for the visually impaired

Innovative, advanced safety systems are making an impact outside of cars

(Consumer Reports)--In recent years, automakers have been stretching their development beyond vehicles and targeting personal mobility, developing an array of portable scooters, city cars, compact unicycles, and even the Honda robotic stride assist. Now, Toyota is taking another twist on personal mobility.

The company is developing a wearable device that assists blind and visually impaired individuals. Named Project BLAID, the horseshoe-shaped device that's worn across the neck and shoulders gives guidance through cameras, speakers, and haptic stimulation.

“We want to extend the freedom of mobility for all, no matter their circumstance, location or ability,” says Simon Nagata, executive vice president of Toyota North America.

Watch more on the project here: 

Toyota’s Project BLAID is just the latest in a series of new devices from conventional automakers, who are applying their engineering expertise to other facets of personal mobility. Among the clever prototype machines being showcased, some are drawing upon similar technologies to those being developed in the pursuit of developing autonomous vehicles and advanced safety systems.

For example, Toyota intends to add mapping, object identification, and facial-recognition technologies to Project BLAID. Google’s own autonomous car project is based on the company’s ability to develop mapping for cars of the future. The haptic feedback, or vibrations, of Project BLAID is similar to lane-departure alerts present in many cars. It will effectively help keep the visually impaired on the right track, communicating cues about their environment.

Even permanently blind people can get life-changing guidance from Toyota's Project BLAID and other personal mobility devices being developed.
Even permanently blind people can get life-changing guidance from new personal mobility devices being developed.
In a similar vein, the CEO of Mobileye, an Israeli company that provides camera-based safety components to about 90 percent of all automakers, is a professor of machine vision and development of computers that can learn. He has also developed a wearable device for the visually impaired called Orcam. A similar automotive technology is the pedestrian alert found in Volvos.

Connecting the dots: Down the road, it is feasible that a person with vision and/or physical limitations will be aided to enter a self-driving car—granting them new levels of freedom. 

Getting Results Award: Southeastern Guide Dogs

PALMETTO, Fla. Raising a guide dog for the visually impaired involves years of work and thousands of dollars. But, Southeastern Guide Dogs gives the animals away.

The organization even trains the owner how to use the dog by giving an immersive month long training course. For that reason, Jocelyn and Carl Hargrove are this week's Getting Results Award Winners.

The married couple has raised 40 dogs to give to the visually impaired. Jocelyn says giving the dogs away after a year of love and training is the hard part.

News 6 asked Carl if he was dragged into this kicking and screaming he said, "Well, I didn't scream that loud."

People like Richard Darrington have changed lives because of the sacrifices people like Jocelyn and Carl make. A year ago, Richard was paired with a black lab named Malcolm.

"Without Jocelyn and Carl there is no Malcolm and Rich pairing. This is a rare situation to have a man or woman paired with a guide dog," Richard said.

Puppy raisers get one year to socialize and obedience train the dog. Then, they pass the dog to a trainer who begins the rigorous training to become a guide dog. Only one in three dogs goes on to become a guide dog. Most go on to be therapy dogs or do police work.

If you would like more information about Southeastern Guide Dogs, you can visit their website at https://www.guidedogs.org/

 


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