Communications: electrical – Tactual indication
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-17
2004-03-23
Mullen, Thomas (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Tactual indication
C367S116000, C434S112000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06710706
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a Spatial Awareness Device for individuals whose vision or hearing may be impaired or lost, either due to physical abnormalities/disability or due to a sensory derived environment for example in darkness, fog or underwater locations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are a number of guiding or locating devices for visually impaired or blind individuals, for example the guiding device described in EP 749744. This guiding device is built in two parts. One part includes a receiver and a transmitter and the other part includes a microprocessor for processing the signals received from the receiver. Additionally, the second part includes a mechanical signal generator. Typically the second part is held in a blind person's breast pocket. The transmitter emits ultrasound waves which are reflected by an obstacle. The reflective signal activates the mechanical device thus warning a user about the presence of the obstacle. The guide thus acts a proximity warning device, notably, it does not provide information in the form of a picture about the surrounding environment and what is more, it is still necessary for the blind person to use a stick to detect holes in the ground, curb edges and stairs.
Dutch Patent NL 9301911 describes a stick for the blind or partially sighted which includes a handle into which there is incorporated a radio transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter and receiver use ultrasound, infra red or microwave radar signals to detect objects in the path of the user. The received signal is processed and used to drive a motor which in turn alters the position of a small rod protruding from the handle. A user can learn to detect distance of a nearby obstacle by monitoring the movement of the rod.
The advantage of this device is that the proximity detector and the stick are combined. However, notably, the device provides no information in the form of a picture about the surrounding environment.
Similarly, German Patent DE 2932659 also describes a walking stick for the blind into which there is built an ultrasound distance measuring system. The handle of this stick is provided with a distance range adjustment means comprising a finger operated ratchet lever. The lever can be adjusted in order to adjust the range of the ultrasound system. Using this device an individual can determine at what distance objects are to be detected. However, noticeably, this device does not provide any detailed information of the environment in which the individual is located.
In addition, each of the above devices are only for use by visually impaired or blind individuals; they are not for use by partially deaf or deaf individuals or for individuals navigating sensory deprived environments. Further they only relay limited information about the immediate environment (a radius of approximately 1 m).
It can then be seen that there is a need to provide a device which provides an individual with relatively detailed information about the environment they occupy and more specifically a single device that will provide a visually impaired or blind individual with information about the spatial content of their environment and a partially deaf or deaf individual with information about the distance and direction of different sounds within their environment. There is also a need to provide individuals in sensory deprived environments with such information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art and fulfills the aforementioned needs.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is therefore provided a spatial awareness device comprising at least one receiver for receiving a selected form of radiation and operatively coupled thereto at least one tactile responsive means; whereby the radiation can be converted into a tactile map spanning at least in part the body of an individual.
Indeed, it is known that the human central nervous system (CNS) contains “brain maps” of the visual/auditory and somatosensory (tactile) world. The brain is organised such that these maps of the different sensory modalities interact with one another and changes in one sense may impinge on another modality map. Loss of vision, for example in the congenitally blind, may result in the visually impaired having poor auditory spatial ability. Nevertheless, the majority of vision loss occurs in later life thus all the spatial maps have been created in the CNS.
Utilising spatial tactile sensations will use the region of the brain used for visual spatial maps and, more importantly, will use the same cells responsible for auditory localization. Thus, by utilising more than one sensory modality, the user's spatial awareness can be enhanced. This can be useful, for example for effective negotiation or awareness of one's surroundings.
Radiation may be received from sources in the environment or transmitted from the device itself. Preferably, the spatial awareness device also comprises at least one transmitter adapted to transmit the selected form of radiation; the receiver being adapted to receive the reflected radiation. In this way, reflected radiation from objects in the environment can form the tactile map. It is preferred that the transmitter and receiver transmit and receive electromagnetic or acoustic radiation.
In a more preferred embodiment of the invention the selected form of radiation is ultrasound however, in alternative embodiments of the invention the radiation may be infra red radiation or microwave radar signals.
Where the radiation is both transmitted and received, it is preferred that the electromagnetic radiation or acoustic radiation is selected so as not to interfere with sounds in the human hearing range so as to avoid cutting off an additional primary sense in particular for use by the visually impaired or blind.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention said tactile responsive means is controlled by a control means such as a microprocessor adapted to receive information from the receiver about the received radiation. More preferably, it converts said information, preferably by way of stepping down the frequency, so that the received echo can be turned into a tactile signal, ideally a vibration, which an individual can feel through the tactile responsive means.
More preferably still, the control means is programmed so that the position of the tactile signal on the tactile responsive means, and corresponding part of the user's body, provides information about the location of an obstacle in the spatial environment. In this way, a spatial map is created across the body, such as across the palm of the hand.
Additionally or alternatively, the strength of the tactile signal may be controlled by the control means so as to provide information about the size of an obstacle in the spatial environment. Thus, in the instance where ultrasound is used, the reflection of ultrasound from a nearby obstacle will be relatively great compared to the reflection of ultrasound from a distant obstacle, and so the strength of the ultrasound echo can be directly correlated with the strength of the tactile signal or vibration providing information on the body not only about the relative location of one obstacle with respect to another but also the relative proximity to the user of one obstacle with respect to another. Thus the tactile signal may be graded to give object proximity, or even object density information, since the density of a given object will affect the nature of the reflected radiation.
The device may be fixed or mobile. Preferably the spatial awareness device is mobile and may be used to span the body at any part which is sensible to tactile sensation such as a hand, foot, back, limb or portions thereof. It may even cover a substantial part of the body surface, for example in the form of a body suit. The device may alternatively be hand-held, for example, in the form of a torch or it may be provided as a back pack or front pouch.
In a further pref
Hoyle Brian Stewart
Povey Malcolm James William
Waters Dean Andrew
Withington Deborah Jane
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Mullen Thomas
Sound Foresight Limited
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