Black box makes life easier for visually impaired people

Simple activities like choosing your morning cereals, picking a shirt or doing housework may be part of a daily routine for many but they are often out of reach for the 285 million people worldwide who are deemed to be visually impaired. Tech4Freedom helps them extend their independence and accessibility with a small black box fitted with sensors.

The box detects marked objects, obstacles, labels and colours, making it possible for the users to orient themselves, distinguish between the contents of different jars and be alerted when something in their environment changes. The box comes detects when selected persons, objects or places approach or leave the user's surroundings and creates "safe areas" where the user knows his/her relative position.

The box connects to the user's smartphone and is totally customizable to fit everyone's needs. And it even holds an emergency charger so they are never cut off from the information stream. It also gives valuable information on the user's environs detects light intensity, temperature and humidity.  It transmits information using sound effects, voice notifications or alarms to the user either directly, or through a smartphone. Tech4Freedom can connect with other devices like audio-guides at museums or computers and can delimit safe play zones for children in the open air.

ATICser services, the company behind the black box received an SME Instrument Phase 2 grant in 2016. The company will add functionalities to the box building on its advantage as the unique one-stop solution on the market. ATICser has been working with influential blind associations throughout Europe to develop their product.

Watch the Tech4Freedom's video to learn more about how the box makes life easier for visually impaired people.

Zdroj: europa.eu