TActile Glasses (TAG) for Obstacle Avoidance

In this paper, we present a wearable tactile device called TAG TActile Glasses to help visually impaired individuals navigate through complex environments. The TAG device provides vibrotactile feedback whenever an obstacle is detected in front of the user. The prototype is composed of --- in addition to the eyeglasses --- an infrared proximity sensor, an ATMEGA128 microprocessor, a rechargeable battery, and a vibrotactile actuator attached to the right temple tip of the glasses. The TAG system is designed to be highly portable, fashionable yet cost effective, and intuitive to use. Experimental study showed that the TAG system can help visually impaired individuals to navigate unfamiliar lab environment using vibrotactile feedback, and without any previous training. Participants reported that the system is intuitive to use, quick to learn, and helpful.

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