Feasibility of a new orientation technology for people with tunnel vision

描述（由申请人提供）：该SBIR项目的长期目标是开发一种辅助工具，以提高隧道视觉或功能性失明患者跟踪自身方向和周围环境中多个感兴趣目标的能力。拟议的设备将增强和提高视觉搜索和定向技术的有效性，并为这些人提供目前可用的光学技术的增强。与其他高科技辅助设备不同，该设备不需要笨重的摄像头或头戴式显示器，不显眼，而且成本可能很低。在该提案中，提出了所提出的设备的概念，沿着它可以帮助解决的现实世界的问题的例子。提出了设计、构建和测试概念验证设备的计划。该计划基于用户和临床医生的输入，并利用申请公司的技术能力。在第一阶段结束时，概念验证设备将可用于审查，可以帮助用户跟踪他们的位置和周围感兴趣的对象。如果成功，用户将在模拟有问题的日常任务的实验中表现出更好的性能，并对新技术可以为他们做的事情表现出高度的热情和满意度。公共卫生相关性：第一阶段SBIR项目的研发将产生一种高效的新工具，帮助隧道视觉或无功能视觉的人更好地跟踪自己的方向和周围感兴趣物体的位置。由此产生的产品将使这些用户在日常工作和职业活动中更加独立和富有成效，从而提供更好的就业潜力和提高生活质量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term aim of this SBIR project is to develop an aid to enhance the ability of people with tunnel vision or functional blindness to keep track of their own orientation and that of multiple targets of interest in the surrounding environment. The proposed device will augment and improve the effectiveness of visual search and orienting techniques, as well as providing an augmentation to optical technologies currently available for these individuals. Unlike other high-tech aids, the proposed device requires no cumbersome cameras or head-mounted displays, is inconspicuous, and is of potentially low cost. In this proposal, concepts of the proposed device are presented, along with examples of real-world problems that it can help to solve. A plan to design, build, and test a proof of concept device is presented. The plan is based on user and clinician input and leverages technical capabilities of the applicant company. At the end of Phase I, a proof of concept device will be available for review that can help a user keep track of their location and of surrounding objects of interest. If successful, users will show improved performance in an experiment emulating problematic everyday tasks and show a high degree of enthusiasm and satisfaction for what the new technology can do for them. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The R&D in this Phase I SBIR project will result in a highly effective new tool to help people with tunnel vision or no functional vision to better keep track of their own orientation and the locations of objects of interest around them. The resulting product will enable such users to be more independent and productive in everyday tasks and in career activities, thus providing improved employment potential and an increase in the quality of life.