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What about fingertip mounted (rings, basically) small ultrasonic sensors? Each could be mostly independent (save for battery, I guess) and exploring the space w

by Udik 5y ago

What about fingertip mounted (rings, basically) small ultrasonic sensors? Each could be mostly independent (save for battery, I guess) and exploring the space would be as easy as slightly waving and tilting the hand. Tactile feedback would go straight to the fingertip. Quick to wear and remove.

tpmx 5y ago
Perhaps wrist bands would be more feasible with current battery/sensor tech, but, yeah.
- Udik 5y ago
  The advantage of the fingertips is that they're sensitive and especially, they're extremely mobile. I imagine that if the sensors were mounted on the fingertips of a glove, on the back of the hand and pointed orthogonally to the plane of the hand, it would be fairly natural to develop a sort of "saccadic hand movement" to get a rapid perception of the surroundings.
  - tpmx 5y ago
    Yeah, a glove would allow for much more battery capacity, of course.
saulrh 5y ago
Can't obstruct fingertips, those are necessary for the cane and braille. Glove might work, but I'd worry about it competing with cold-weather gear like mittens. Was why I was thinking of a rigid head-mount.
- Udik 5y ago
  > Can't obstruct fingertips, those are necessary for the cane and braille. Wear it on the left hand? Also, a glove is pretty quick to wear and remove. > I'd worry about it competing with cold-weather gear like mittens If it's useful, I don't think it would be an issue to create a "winter version". > I was thinking of a rigid head-mount If you hold your hand in front of your chest with the palm towards the chest, and wave it, you can appreciate how easy it is to scan the space in front of you. And the feedback would be directly on the fingertips, 1cm away from the sensor placed on the nail side of the finger, which makes for a very self-contained device. Also you get a free association between your self-perceived hand position and the space reading, which is nice. With a fixed head mount you need to constantly move your entire head to scan the space and the (tactile) feedback might be on an unrelated and less sensitive part of the body.

by Udik 5y ago

tpmx 5y ago

Perhaps wrist bands would be more feasible with current battery/sensor tech, but, yeah.

Udik 5y ago
The advantage of the fingertips is that they're sensitive and especially, they're extremely mobile. I imagine that if the sensors were mounted on the fingertips of a glove, on the back of the hand and pointed orthogonally to the plane of the hand, it would be fairly natural to develop a sort of "saccadic hand movement" to get a rapid perception of the surroundings.
- tpmx 5y ago
  Yeah, a glove would allow for much more battery capacity, of course.

saulrh 5y ago

Can't obstruct fingertips, those are necessary for the cane and braille. Glove might work, but I'd worry about it competing with cold-weather gear like mittens. Was why I was thinking of a rigid head-mount.

Udik 5y ago
> Can't obstruct fingertips, those are necessary for the cane and braille. Wear it on the left hand? Also, a glove is pretty quick to wear and remove. > I'd worry about it competing with cold-weather gear like mittens If it's useful, I don't think it would be an issue to create a "winter version". > I was thinking of a rigid head-mount If you hold your hand in front of your chest with the palm towards the chest, and wave it, you can appreciate how easy it is to scan the space in front of you. And the feedback would be directly on the fingertips, 1cm away from the sensor placed on the nail side of the finger, which makes for a very self-contained device. Also you get a free association between your self-perceived hand position and the space reading, which is nice. With a fixed head mount you need to constantly move your entire head to scan the space and the (tactile) feedback might be on an unrelated and less sensitive part of the body.