AIR Option 1: Technology Translation: Automated Targeted Destination Recognition for the Blind with Motion Deblurring

AIR 选项 1：技术翻译：通过运动去模糊为盲人自动识别目标目的地

• 批准号: 1343402
• 负责人: YingLi Tian
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: CUNY City College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-15 至 2017-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1343402&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: AIR; Option; Technology; Translation; Automated

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating the research advances in computer vision technologies to fill the gap between research and the real needs in assistive technology for blind people. The goal of this project is to explore solutions for the challenges of designing wearable camera-based wayfinding assistants for blind persons from fundamental research to produce a portable proof-of-concept prototype to help blind users recognize targeted destinations from complex environments. The project accomplishes this goal by 1) developing robust motion deblurring methods to handle the irregular motions of blind users who are wearing the camera and 2) recognizing targeted destinations based on the requests of blind users for wayfinding and navigation. The proof-of-concept prototype system will be developed with visual information captured via a wearable camera on sunglasses/hat and a portable computer (mini laptop or cell phone) for data analysis, while the speech/sound outputs will be provided to a blind user via a Bluetooth earpiece. The performance of the newly developed algorithms and the proof-of-concept prototype will be evaluated by blind subjects.The partnership engages different areas of expertise including university research, industry real system design and development, and blind user study from organizations for the blind and visually handicapped to provide solutions for the most challenging problems (motion blur and query-based targeted destination recognition) in the design of wearable camera-based wayfinding and navigation aids for blind users. The interdisciplinary areas of expertise pertain to the potential to translate the computer vision based assistive technology along a path that may result in a competitive commercial reality. This will lead to new revolutionary design concepts of cost-effective and portable camera-based assistive devices to help visually impaired people in achieving functional mobility comparable to people with normal vision. The potential economic impact is expected to be $120 million in the next 10 years, which will contribute to the U.S. competitiveness in developing technology for blind wayfinding and navigation. This research has a direct impact to benefit the visually impaired, improve their inclusion and integration into society, and enhance their future employment opportunities, success in the workplace, independent living, and economic and social self-sufficiency.

PFI：AIR 技术翻译项目的重点是转化计算机视觉技术的研究进展，以填补盲人辅助技术研究与实际需求之间的差距。该项目的目标是探索解决方案，以应对为盲人设计基于可穿戴摄像头的寻路助手的挑战，从基础研究到制作便携式概念验证原型，以帮助盲人用户从复杂的环境中识别目标目的地。该项目通过以下方式实现这一目标：1）开发强大的运动去模糊方法来处理佩戴相机的盲人用户的不规则运动；2）根据盲人用户的寻路和导航请求识别目标目的地。概念验证原型系统将通过太阳镜/帽子上的可穿戴摄像头和便携式计算机（迷你笔记本电脑或手机）捕获的视觉信息进行开发，以进行数据分析，而语音/声音输出将通过蓝牙耳机提供给盲人用户。新开发的算法和概念验证原型的性能将由盲人受试者进行评估。该合作伙伴关系涉及不同领域的专业知识，包括大学研究、行业真实系统设计和开发以及盲人和视力障碍组织的盲人用户研究，为盲人用户设计基于可穿戴摄像头的寻路和导航辅助设备时最具挑战性的问题（运动模糊和基于查询的目标目的地识别）提供解决方案。跨学科的专业知识领域涉及将基于计算机视觉的辅助技术沿着可能导致竞争性商业现实的道路转化的潜力。这将带来新的革命性设计概念，即经济高效的便携式基于摄像头的辅助设备，以帮助视障人士实现与视力正常的人相当的功能移动性。预计未来10年的潜在经济影响将达到1.2亿美元，这将有助于提高美国在盲寻路和导航技术开发方面的竞争力。 这项研究对造福视障人士、改善他们融入社会、增加他们未来的就业机会、在工作场所取得成功、独立生活以及经济和社会自给自足具有直接影响。