A Smart Telescope for Low Vision

描述(由申请人提供)：这是一项建造和测试“智能望远镜”的提案，这是一种为视力低下的人设计的设备，它使用计算机视觉算法来搜索、检测和增强文本和人脸等目标，以帮助完成旅行、导航和社交等日常任务。实用的、在化妆品上可以接受的包装将包括一个微型相机和谨慎地安装在眼镜或帽子上的视觉显示器，以及一个紧凑的计算设备和一套可以放在口袋里的控制器。智能望远镜通过自动搜索、检测和增强目标物体，即使它们只占据了设备视场的一小部分，而无需用户像光学望远镜那样直接或准确地将设备对准目标，从而推动了低视力辅助设备的今天的技术水平。Smart Telescope小巧轻便，但大到足以让老年人操作和控制；操作简单，便于携带、存储、充电、穿戴和拆卸。高级选项在日常使用过程中被隐藏，但在必要时很容易访问。在第一阶段，我们开发和评估了一个工作原型，并从我们目标人群中的受试者那里获得了热情的反馈。在第二阶段，我们建议制作一款商业上可行的智能望远镜消费者版的原型。第二阶段工作计划有四个方面：1)用户交互和界面设计，2)物理设计和配置，3)软件设计和开发，4)硬件设计和开发。史密斯-凯特尔韦尔康复工程研究中心(RERC)将为该项目的人为因素部分提供专业知识。Bindsight将在博尔顿工程公司的帮助下，利用现成的组件设计和制造设备硬件。低视力专家Don Fletcher博士、Melissa Chun博士和Ian Bailey博士将与RERC合作，为目标受众提供实用的产品。总体目标是为视力下降、对比敏感度降低或由黄斑变性、糖尿病视网膜病变、青光眼、白内障和其他眼睛问题导致的其他视觉功能丧失的人创造一个拟议设备的商业版本，增加那些视力在20/200到20/600之间的人的机动性和独立性。在1000美元以下，这种设备的总市场估计高达30万，即美国10%的低视力者。商业版的智能望远镜将显著提高视力在20/200到20/600之间的人的机动性和独立性，帮助他们完成日常任务，如旅行、导航和社交。它将通过改进和超越传统光学望远镜的能力，推动当今低视力辅助设备的发展，极大地有利于视力下降、对比敏感度降低或因黄斑变性、糖尿病视网膜病变、青光眼、白内障和其他眼睛问题而导致的其他视觉功能丧失的人。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a proposal to build and test a "Smart Telescope," a device for persons with low vision that uses computer vision algorithms to search for, detect and enhance targets such as text and faces to aid in everyday tasks such as travel, navigation and social interactions. The practical, cosmetically acceptable packaging will consist of a miniature camera and visual display discreetly mounted on spectacles or a hat, and a compact computing device and set of controls that fit into a pocket. The Smart Telescope advances today's state of the art in assistive devices for low vision by automatically searching for, detecting and enhancing target objects even when they fill only a small portion of the device's field of view, without the user having to point the device directly or accurately at the target as with optical telescopes. The Smart Telescope is small and lightweight, but large enough for the elderly to handle and control; simple to operate and easy to carry, store, recharge, don and remove. Advanced options are hidden during day-to-day use, but easy to access when necessary. In Phase I, we developed and evaluated a working prototype and received enthusiastic feedback from subjects in our target population. In Phase II we propose to prototype a commercially viable consumer version of the Smart Telescope. The Phase II work plan has four tracks: 1) User interaction and interface design, 2) physical design and configuration, 3) software design and development, and 4) hardware design and development. Smith-Kettlewell's Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) will provide expertise for the human factors portions of the project. Blindsight will design and build the device hardware from off-the-shelf components with the help of Bolton Engineering. Low vision experts Drs. Don Fletcher, Melissa Chun and Ian Bailey will work with the RERC to guarantee a practical product for the target audience. The overall aim is to create a commercial version of the proposed device for persons with reduced visual acuity, reduced contrast sensitivity, or other loss of visual function caused by macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye problems, increasing mobility and independence for those with acuity between approximately 20/200 and 20/600. At under $1,000, the total market for such a device is estimated at up to 300,000, i.e., 10% of low vision persons in the United States. The commercial version of the Smart Telescope will significantly increase mobility and independence for persons with visual acuity between approximately 20/200 and 20/600, aiding them in everyday tasks such as travel, navigation, and social interactions. It will advance today's state of the art in assistive devices for low vision by improving on and surpassing the capabilities of the traditional optical telescope, greatly benefiting persons with reduced visual acuity, reduced contrast sensitivity, or other loss of visual function caused by macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye problems.