A vision substitution system using forehead electrical stimulation

The goal of our project is to provide a cheap, lightweight, yet fully functional vision substitution system that provides rich and dynamic 2D environmental information to the blind. The vision to tactile conversion system was first developed by Collins [Collins 1970], who used 400 vibration motors on the skin of the back and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera. He called the system a tactile vision substitution system (TVSS). However, although many similar systems have been proposed since then, they have not become widely used, because the system was heavy, expensive, and required a considerable amount of power. To solve this problem, we applied electrical stimulation. The electrical stimulation is lightweight, cheap, scalable, and consumes much less energy. At the same time, it does not generate sound and is free from mechanical resonance.