ENGINEERING APPROACHES TO LOW VISION REHABILITATION

本建议应用新颖的工程方法来解决低视力康复问题。为此，我们将在坚实的理论基础上建造原型设备，这些设备最终将成为可销售的康复产品。这些设备是在我们的工程合作伙伴的帮助下设计和制造的，将在临床合作伙伴的帮助下，在不同的患者群体中进行严格的测试，以确定对功能和生活质量的影响。我们将开发和测试实现三种特定工程方法的光学和电子设备，旨在恢复（至少部分）中央（高分辨率）和外围（宽视场）视觉的重要相互作用。我们将探讨的三种工程方法是显示的多路动态控制和图像增强。此外，我们还表明，这些方法的各种组合是可能的，并且可能是有益的。在我们提出的评估和测试中，我们强调两种方法：在实验室进行控制和定量测试的虚拟环境，以及在实际生活中确定设备和技术的效果和有用性的街头评估。

This proposal applies novel engineering approaches to the problems of low vision rehabilitation. We shall do this by building prototype devices based on solid theoretical foundations that, eventually, will become marketable rehabilitation products. The devices, designed and built with the help of our engineering partners, will be tested critically using diverse patient populations, with the help of the clinical partners to determine the effects on function and on the quality of life. We shall develop and test both optical and electronic devices that implement three specific engineering approaches aimed at restoring (at least in part) the important interplay of central (high-resolution) and peripheral (wide-field) vision. The three engineering approaches that we will explore are multiplexing dynamic control of display, and image enhancement. Also, we show that various combinations of these approaches are possible and likely to be beneficial. In our proposed assessment and testing we emphasize two approaches: a virtual environment for controlled and quantitative testing in the laboratory, and on-the-street evaluation for real-life determination of the effect and usefulness of the devices and techniques.