Untapped Wealth Discovered: From the Business Desk

Good morning! I'm Kerry I Harrison at the business desk and it's time for our weekly news round-up for consumers with special needs. We hope that you are continuing to enjoy our selection of articles. Each week we strive to bring you news in the worlds of health and technology and we hope that you can use these articles to keep abreast of latest developments. If you'd like to learn more about how you can reach consumers with special needs through products and services that can offer then please visit www.sterlingcreations.ca.

Here now are this week's articles.

Table of contents

December 12 2007

1 The Eyes Have It: A Step Toward Creating Peepers in a Petri Dish
2 TV remote and hands-free phone combo to aid vision impaired
3 Guide in the dark: Unique navigation system allows blind to "dare more"
4 Europe has new counterterrorism weapon: Blind detectives
5 NIST Licenses Systems to Help the Blind 'See' Images
6 Facebook Integrates SpinVox Speech-to-Text Applications
7 TTS Solution Fully Integrated with iPod and iPhone
8 SpeakOn, a very different kind of media player
9 The Dragnifier
10 Robot Suit May Help You Achieve a Perfect Golf Swing

Scientific American
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The Eyes Have It: A Step Toward Creating Peepers in a Petri Dish

By Nikhil Swaminathan

Study fingers a enzyme that jump starts the pathway leading to the generation of eye tissues

Quote: "This work may have interesting implications for the stem cell field"

COMING TO A LAB NEAR YOU: Researchers identify an enzyme that starts a cascade of cellular events involved in the development of eyes.
An accidental discovery could pave the way to one day coaxing stem cells to develop into human eyes in the lab.
A team of scientists at the University of Warwick in England studying the development of motility in frogs found that a certain ectoenzyme (a cell-surface protein) injected into a tadpole embryo triggered the development of tissues that eventually form eyes.

Further experimentation led the researchers to conclude that the surface protein is, in fact, an early player in the cellular cascade that leads to eye formation. Researchers say the finding could be harnessed in the future to make an "eye in a dish," a tool that would be invaluable in coaxing stem cells to develop into ocular tissues.
"Our study provides clear discovery of upstream signals controlling a previously known pathway controlling eye development and therefore provides a step closer to being able to manipulate eye development," explains Elizabeth A. Jones, a professor in the university's biological sciences department and a co-author of the study published in Nature.

Ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 2 (E-NTPDase2) is an ectoenzyme that, along with family members E-NTPDase1 and E-NTPDase3, is known to degrade the chemical compound ATP (adenosine triphosphate) into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) for the purpose of sending messages to cells to change the fleet of proteins they are producing. Primarily, ATP functions as the energy currency of cells but, in some varieties, a tiny amount is secreted into the space between cells, where it latches onto a neighbor to induce particular responses and modulations. Both ATP and ADP, known as purines, can transmit signals to cells that change their developmental activity. The research team found that when it increased levels of E-NTPDase2 in tadpole embryos that consisted of only eight cells, they could cause parts of the eye to form not only on the heads of the amphibians, but also in tissues in other parts of their bodies, including their tails. Minute pulses of ATP are released into extra
cellular areas mostly by cells in the head where the eyes are supposed to develop. Jones notes that at temporally distinct moments, other cells in the body may expel small packets of ATP, which in the presence of E-NTPDase2 can cause eye tissue to form.

Through many rounds of analysis, both by amplifying and decreasing the levels of certain chemicals as well as knocking out the function of certain genes that code for proteins that regulate eye development (called eye field transcription factors), the scientists determined that E-NTPDase2 (although not E-NTPDase 1 or 3) was the only ectoenzyme that could drive eye development. Further, they determined that it must act early in the pathway that leads to the formation of the eye. After it converts ATP to ADP, the level of the latter accumulates outside the cell and the purine can bind to a purine receptor called P2Y1.

"It is the activation of this receptor that either directly or indirectly turns on the expression of the eye-field transcription factors," Jones says. "We don?t quite know the mechanisms involved between going from the receptor and turning on the genes, and this is an area for future investigation."

Jones and her colleagues believe that most of the eye development pathway is conserved between frogs and humans. Damage to human chromosome 9 (of the cell's 24 pairs) where the gene that codes for E-NTPDase2 resides is known to cause eye and brain defects, such as microphthalmia-literally, small eyes. This means that down the road, researchers might be able to create an "eye in a dish."

"This work may have interesting implications for the stem cell field," says Richard Lang, a professor of developmental biology at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation. "The activity of purine signaling in inducing eye field precursors," he says, "might be a very useful tool for the culture dish-generation of progenitor cells for a variety of eye cell types."

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=D42A2914-E7F2-99DF-3F786D77E85431C6&ref=rdf

From: "BlindNews Mailing List" <BlindNews@GeoffAndWen.com>

Gizmag (UK)
Thursday, October 25, 2007

TV remote and hands-free phone combo to aid vision impaired

Designed by a Australian company Tiller + Tiller, the TeleMax®III combines a universal TV remote control and hands free phone in the one device. The unit is sleek, compact, easy to use, unbreakable and spillage proof. Shaped like a small tray with handles either side to allow for easy grip it features the latest ergonomic principles for comfort and function.

http://www.tillerdesign.com/

Button controls are large, and deliberately limited in number. They consist ofa normal keypad layout 1-9, a mute button, a large power button and sliding arrows for channels and volume control. Buttons have raised black lettering, which stands out well from a white illuminated background face, making them easy to see and use by those with visual and physical disability. The television automatically goes into mute mode when a call is received. Emergency numbers can be programmed for instant access.

TeleMax® will actually be a range of products with models I and II also available. TeleMax® I, the simplest model works as a basic universally programmable TV remote, and TeleMax® II has the same functionality but with an added button to link to and access cable TV.

Crichton has taken out patents for the product in Australia, Europe and USA but it is still in prototype phase while Crichton and Tiller + Tiller find a company to manufacture it. After three long years of research, design and prototyping, they hope the TeleMax range of products will be available worldwide in around 18 months.

Crichton cites figures of over 180 million people worldwide with vision impairments and an aging world population (483 million over 65 years of age) as the potential market for this product. No pricing has been set at this point.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/8238/

The Prague Post, Czech Republic
Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Guide in the dark: Unique navigation system allows blind to "dare more"

By Victor Velek, Staff Writer

For a long time, the blind have not received many benefits from the rapid development of communication technology. Despite advanced navigation systems thriving worldwide, little research has been dedicated to their assistance, prompting continued reliance on long-standing aids: walking canes and guide dogs.But thanks to a unique navigational system for the blind developed at the Czech Technical University (ÈVUT) in Prague, the situation has changed.Combining a satellite-based GPS navigation system, mobile phone communications and a call center, blind people in the Czech Republic can now get immediate assistance whenever they lose orientation or experience unexpected health problems, says ÈVUT researcher Jiøí Chod, the gadget's creator."This system really widens blind people's horizons," says Zdenìk Bajtl, head of the technical department at Czech Blind United (SONS), an association supporting the blind countrywide. "With the device in your pocket, you dare more. It gives you
a firm belief that you cannot get lost." Bajtl, who is himself blind, stresses that the navigation system is not a replacement for guide dogs - it doesn't offer immediate help for unexpected obstacles like pavement reconstruction, for example."On the other hand, no dog will bring you to the National Library if it has never been there," he says. "This does. . It's a great boost to our freedom, self-confidence and independence."Pocket protectorThe navigation system is quite portable, consisting of a small black box containing a GPS receiver and antenna, a mobile phone modem and a flash drive for data storage.Once activated, the unit sends data on its position to the call center, which is equipped with an intelligent map system. If the user gets lost or needs some guidance, he or she can then ring the call center, based at SONS, and get help from one of the center's staff, Chod says.According to both Chod and Bajtl, the system is a unique solution unparalleled elsewhere in the
world. "In Spain they tested a similar system but they used automated navigation," Chod says. "We were also considering this option but eventually found the automated synthetic voice distracting and rather unhelpful."Another advantage of the ÈVUT system is its openness, based as it is on standard GPS and GSM technologies, Chod says. It's easily updated, with next-generation technology replacing outdated components. "It's an atypical application of standard technologies," he adds.Although the latest incarnation of the ÈVUT machine can fit in a pocket, the project's beginnings, in 2003, saw a much more cumbersome device."The GPS was so heavy and demanded so much power that you'd have to have one cart to carry the gadget and another to carry its batteries," Chod says with a smile.The project's next generation was less bulky but presented other problems, most notably from those reluctant to wear a prominent external antenna. "Blind people are sensitive about being conspicuous,"
Chod says. "Some of them were reluctant to wear an alien-looking antenna on their clothes."Today, the device has an internal antenna, and the newest model will feature a camera that can transmit photos to the navigation center, so operators can give more detailed assistance, he adds.Call waitingCurrently, the navigation aid is used by about 35 blind people throughout the country; by the end of the year, that number should be 100, Chod says. And in the near future, it should be accessible to all."We hope that next year the device will be officially recognized as an orientation aid for the blind, making it eligible for state allowances," Bajtl says. Government subsidies will then cover the machine's costs, which run to 13,000 Kè ($680) for the latest and most advanced model.Access to the call center is also open to the visually impaired not on the system, as it offers additional services, Bajtl says. People can ask operators for transport information and detailed itineraries,
for example.Within the last several months, the center recorded about 350 inquiries, according to Bajtl. Supported by the Vodafone Foundation, the center was launched at the beginning of this year: In September, Vodafone received the Via Bona award for its support of the project."This is the flagship of our foundation," says Inga Kaskelyte, executive director of the Vodafone Foundation. Vodafone has contributed 1.8 million Kè to the project and has earmarked further money for the blind. "It's a long-term project," she says. "And we will continue to support it in the future."

Victor Velek can be reached at vvelek@praguepost.com

http://www.praguepost.com/articles/2007/10/24/guide-in-the-dark.php

International Herald Tribune
Monday, October 29, 2007

Europe has new counterterrorism weapon: Blind detectives

By Dan Bilefsky

Monday, October 29, 2007

ANTWERP, Belgium: Sacha van Loo, 36, is not your typical cop. He wields a white cane instead of a gun. And from the purr of an engine on a wiretap, he can discern whether a suspect is driving a Peugeot, a Honda or a Mercedes.

Van Loo is one of Europe's newest weapons in the global fight against terrorism and organized crime: a blind Sherlock Holmes, whose disability allows him to spot clues sighted detectives don't see.

"Being blind has forced me to develop my other senses, and my power as a detective rests in my ears," he said from his office at the Belgian Federal Police, where a bullet-riddled piece of paper from a recent target-shooting session was proudly displayed on the wall. "Being blind also requires recognizing your limitations," he added with a smile, noting that a sighted trainer guided his hands during target practice "to make sure no one got wounded."

Van Loo, a slight man who has been blind since birth, is one of six blind police officers in a pioneering unit specializing in transcribing and analyzing wiretap recordings in criminal investigations. An accomplished linguist who taught himself Serb Croat for fun, he laments that he is not entitled to carry a gun on the job or make arrests. But such is his acute sense of hearing that Paul van Thielen, a director at the Belgian Federal Police, compares his powers of observation to those of a "superhero."

When police eavesdrop on a suspected terrorist making a phone call, van Loo can listen to the tones dialed and immediately identify the number. By hearing the sound of a voice echoing off of a wall, he can deduce whether a suspect is speaking from an airport lounge or a crowded restaurant. After the Belgian police recently spent hours struggling to identify a drug smuggler on a faint wiretap recording, they concluded he was Moroccan. Van Loo, who has a "library of accents in his head," listened and deduced he was Albanian, a fact confirmed after his arrest.

"I have had to train my ear to know where I am. It is a matter of survival to cross the street or get on a train," he said. "Some people can get lost in background noise, but as a blind man I divide hearing into different channels. It is these details that can be the difference between solving and not solving a crime."

Grappling with his handicap, he says, also has given him the thick emotional skin necessary for dealing with the job's stresses. "I have overheard criminals plotting to commit murder, drug dealers making plans to drop off drugs, men beating each other up. Being blind helps not to let it get to me because I have to be tough."

The blind police unit, which became operational in June, originated after van Thielen heard about a blind police officer in the Netherlands, and was looking at ways to improve community outreach. He made the connection that blind people could prove more adept than the sighted at listening to and interpreting wiretaps. That idea, he says, was given added impetus after the Belgian government passed a law a few years ago giving the police extended powers to use wiretaps in the investigation of 37 areas of crime, including terrorism, murder, organized crime and the abduction of minors.

The police also recognized that blind officers like van Loo could be particularly valuable in counterterrorism investigations because wiretap recordings - derived from a phone tap or bug placed in the safe house of a terrorist group - are often muffled by loud background noise, requiring a highly trained ear to discern voices. Alain Grignard, a senior counterterrorism officer at the Brussels Federal Police, notes that wiretaps proved instrumental in the recent arrests of a large terrorist cell in Belgium recruiting for the insurgency in Iraq.

Beyond his keenly developed ears, van Loo is also a trained translator who speaks seven languages, including Russian and Arabic - a skill Grignard said makes him indispensable, since his knowledge of accents can help him to differentiate between, say, an Egyptian or Moroccan suspect. "You need every edge in a terrorism investigation, and a blind officer with languages could be a powerful weapon."

The Belgian police say they were amazed at the number of qualified blind applicants for the posts. Scoring high marks on a hearing test was a prerequisite for the job, as was being at least 33 percent blind. Van Thielen, the police chief, says he was forced to turn away dozens of applicants whose sight was too good, including one "blind" man who shocked police recruiters by arriving at his interview in a car.

Recruiting blind people posed other challenges, van Thielen recalls. Because they would be used almost exclusively for wiretap investigations and the force did not want to expose them to dangerous situations, they were given special status under a 2006 law tailored for forensic work that grants civilians some police powers, but forbids them from making arrests or carrying guns.

Van Thielen, a no-nonsense police veteran, also faced some resistance from other veterans on the force, who feared that having blind colleagues would be a burden. Others felt awkward about how to behave in front of blind people and wondered if saying "au revoir" - literally "see you again" - would cause offense. To assuage their concerns, van Thielen arranged for sensitivity training sessions with blind volunteers. One hint: don't leave computer cables trailing on the floor since blind officers could trip on them.

"At first when members of the police heard that blind people were coming to work here, they laughed and told me that we were a police force and not a charity," said van Thielen. "But attitudes changed when the blind officers arrived and showed their determination to work hard and be useful."

It wasn't only attitudes that needed updating. In addition to installing elevators with voice-activated buttons at the police station, the force issued each blind officers with a special ?10,000 computer equipped with Braille keyboards, and a voice system that transmits visual images into sound.

As van Loo transcribed a wiretap recording on a recent day, he wore earphones and passed his index finger over a long strip of Braille characters on the bottom of the keyboard, whose characters altered to replicate whatever was on his computer screen, which was turned off. When he goes outside, he carries a compact police-issued global positioning system device, with a voice that directs him to his destination, street by street.

A father of two, van Loo attributes his success to having parents who taught him at an early age to be independent. He recalls that, as a young child, his father, a film buff, took him to watch movies. His father also taught him to drive a car by hoisting him on his lap and guiding his hands on the steering wheel. His ability to adapt, he says, was further reinforced by his attending a regular high school. He also attended a special school for the blind, where he learned how to maneuver with a cane and to read Russian in Braille. To relax, he skis, rides horses and plays the Arabic lute.

"My parents accepted my blindness, which also helped me to accept it," he said. "That they were not risk averse also helped."

Cindy Gribomont, head of training at the Brussels-based Braille League, an institute for the blind that helped the police with recruiting, says that overcoming employers' prejudices is her greatest challenge. "Employers need to be encouraged because they are afraid of employing handicapped people."

Van Loo, for his part, says he remains determined not to let his handicap overwhelm him. "Being blind isn't always very easy," he said. "I don't focus on it. I don't deny it. But it is rather tragic that a blind policeman is still viewed as an exception."

http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=8100944

Newswise.com
Monday, October 29, 2007

NIST Licenses Systems to Help the Blind 'See' Images

By NIST

Source: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Released: Mon 29-Oct-2007, 08:00 ET

Description

A recently completed licensing agreement for two novel National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) technologies may help bring affordable graphic reading systems for the blind and visually impaired to market. The two systems bring electronic images to life in the same way that Braille makes words readable.

CAption: NIST Researchers John Roberts (right) and Oliver Slattery (left) using the tactile graphic display device to depict the NIST logo.

Newswise - A recently completed licensing agreement for two novel National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) technologies may help bring affordable graphic reading systems for the blind and visually impaired to market. The two systems bring electronic images to life in the same way that Braille makes words readable.

ELIA Life Technology Inc. of New York, N.Y., licensed for commercialization both the tactile graphic display device and fingertip graphic reader developed by NIST researchers. The former, first introduced as a prototype in 2002, allows a person to feel a succession of images on a reusable surface by raising some 3,600 small pins (actuator points) into a pattern that can be locked in place, read by touch and then reset to display the next graphic in line. Each image-from scanned illustrations, Web pages, electronic books or other sources-is sent electronically to the reader where special software determines how to create a matching tactile display. (For more information, see "NIST 'Pins' Down Imaging System for the Blind" at

http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/factsheet/visualdisplay.htm.)

An array of about 100 small, very closely spaced (1/10 of a millimeter apart) actuator points set against a user's fingertip is the key to the more recently created "tactile graphic display for localized sensory stimulation." To "view" a computer graphic with this technology, a blind or visually impaired person moves the device-tipped finger across a surface like a computer mouse to scan an image in computer memory. The computer sends a signal to the display device and moves the actuators against the skin to "translate" the pattern, replicating the sensation of the finger moving over the pattern being displayed. With further development, the technology could possibly be used to make fingertip tactile graphics practical for virtual reality systems or give a detailed sense of touch to robotic control (teleoperation) and space suit gloves.

The inspiration for both NIST graphic displays came from a "bed of nails" toy found in a novelty store. Watching the pins in the toy depress under fingers and then return to their original state started the researchers thinking about how the principle could be applied to electronic signals.

Persons interested in licensing these or other NIST technologies should contact Terry Lynch, NIST Office of Technology Partnerships, terry.lynch@nist.gov, (301) 975-2691.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/534796/

Speech Technology Magazine
Thursday, October 25, 2007

Facebook Integrates SpinVox Speech-to-Text Applications

By Lauren Shopp

The online social networking community Facebook and Microsoft have a lot in common: college dropouts founded both companies, each started with a shoestring budget, and both have shown interest in speech applications.

While Microsoft has enabled speech solutions in many of its software products, Facebook will join the company in its launch of SpinVox's speech-to-text (STT) applications. Microsoft should note the announcement, as it follows the company's announcement today that it has purchased a $240 million share (a 1.6 percent stake) in Facebook. The networking site's estimated worth is approximately $15 billion, according to market research firm eMarketer.

England-based SpinVox's STT applications allow Facebook users to update their status (a message on their profile screen that tells users' friends what they are doing); write on a 'wall' (comment boards), send messages to other users, and post blog-like 'note' entries to their profiles. The deal gives SpinVox an edge in the social network industry and has the potential to expose the company's technology to Facebook's 15 million registered users. Daniel Dulton, SpinVox's chief strategy officer and cofounder, explains, however, that a free version of the STT application will be available to a limited number of users during early deployment stages.

"We're offering an introductory three-month free trial period to the first 10,000 users, after which we'll announce our plans to commercialize the service," he says. "One of the things we've noticed is that while people find it easy to understand the idea of speaking text, it is only once they have started to use it that they really appreciate just how much benefit they get from our services, so it's important that they are able to try it for free and see how it integrates with their lifestyle."

His statements echo what could be a hurdle for SpinVox to overcome: achieving strong adoption rates among Facebook's core audience of college students. While many Facebook users have mobile phones, the question of whether they will want to update their profiles through the service remains unclear. The site's strong visual elements (user photos, profile information, friend updates, and extra applications) draw many users to Facebook in the first place; an STT application does not allow users to view visual information. But, Dulton says, the users' ability to update their profile anywhere, at any time, is what will attract users to the service.

"It is compelling to be able to share the emotion as it happens, just by saying it and not having to wait until they're back at a PC and online," he says in reference to the company's Blogging Through SpinVox application.

Further, Dulton cites an 80 percent user retention rate among users of its Text Through SpinVox product, explaining that, while users may be reluctant initially, the application's sheer convenience will make users stay with the service. For the Facebook venture, Dulton says SpinVox will depend largely on user feedback and word-of-mouth to market its product, and hope it catches on.

"We're keen to let the community decide how best to share this service," he states. "We will be working with the community and the hosts themselves to make this as simple to get and use as possible."

http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=39984

Speech Technology Magazine
Thursday, October 18, 2007

TTS Solution Fully Integrated with iPod and iPhone

By Lauren Shopp

The push for including speech applications in the iPhone and iPod won a small victory today. Polish text-to-speech company IVO Software announced that the newest version of its TTS software, Expressivo 1.3, would be the first application of its type to be fully integrated with iPods.

The software, which can come with one of three languages (English, Romanian, and Polish) and four personas, also works with other MP3 players, cell phones, and PDAs.

Expressivo converts both short and long texts, converting the translated text into an audio file that is automatically added to the iTunes library. The company claims the software's new functions accelerate audio file creation. The software can be used for work-related (reading emails, RRS feeds, or scheduled events from a calendar) or study-related (listening to lecture notes or aiding in the study of a foreign language) activities.

And, with more than 100 million iPod and nearly 1 million iPhone users, the company hopes Expressivo will make a strong case for speech technology in
the two Apple products.

Powered by IVO Software's IVONA TTS, Expressivo audio files can also be sent via email or published online. So far, the product has had the most sales in the business world, particularly telecommunications and customer service centers, and in the rehabilitation of the blind. But, with a pricetag of $29, the company hopes Expressivo will pick up greater steam in the commercial marketplace.

http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=39925

The Blond - a Blind Blog
Sunday, October 28, 2007

SpeakOn, a very different kind of media player

By vip_uc

October 28th, 2007 Time: 11:58 pm

If you haven't tried it already, could I recommend you try a very different kind of media player.

Called SpeakOn, it's free and can play a wide variety of audio, includig radio stations and feeds from Last.fm.

If you're blind, you won't need to struggle with the Last.fm interface, multiple players or elaborate key sequences. You won't have the worry of a complicated visual front end, because SpeakOn hasn't got one.

What it has got is a self-voicing menu system and now, in the the latest version, a simplified system of single key commands. If you like, you can operate the whole thing from a remote wireless numeric keypad while you take a rest.

There's support from clear documentation and a Yahoo! group hosted by Isaac Porat, who wrote Speakon.

For more info and downloads, please visit...

http://www.a-technic.net/SpeakOn/docs/SpeakOn/ht/SpeakOn-r-0079.htm

And the Yahoo! group is at...

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/speakon/

Of course, because of Yahoo's dreaded CAPTCHA system, you might find it easier to subscribe by e-mail, in which case send a blank e-mail to
speakon-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Enjoy the music!

The BAT!

http://vip-uc.livejournal.com/15851.html

The Fred's Head Companion (APH)
Monday, October 29, 2007

The Dragnifier

By Michael McCarty

Have you ever had to squint at the screen to see what's there? Do you create graphics for a living, and need accuracy? Do all those tiny icons get lost on your desktop?

The "Quick Dragging Magnifier" (or Dragnifier) is just what you need. One click or keypress will bring up a computerized lens, which lets you see every last detail on your screen at 2x, 4x, even 8x the original size. When you're not using the magnifier, you won't even notice it. An icon rests next to your system clock, ready to hop to service whenever you need the Dragnifier.

Dragnifier has been demonstrated as an excellent tool for those with sight disabilities. Sometimes a website will include very small print, or sometimes the icons on today's programs are too small to see clearly.

If you're laying out web pages or other graphic arts, having a measuring tool can be handy. Dragnifier's reticule helps you line up items or compare their sizes quickly.

Click this link to learn more about the Dragnifier.
http://www.halley.cc/stuff/dragnifier.html

Posted by Michael McCarty at 12:02 PM

http://fredsheadcompanion.blogspot.com/2007/10/dragnifier.html

PhysOrg.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Robot Suit May Help You Achieve a Perfect Golf Swing

By Lisa Zyga

Published: 13:59 EST, October 31, 2007

Quote "visual feedback may not even be necessary with the wearable feedback suit, giving it the potential to be used as a training device for blind individuals"

Researchers have developed a vibrotactile feedback suit to help individuals learn new motor skills more quickly and accurately than by mimicking human teachers alone. Besides golf, dance and sports training, the suit may also be useful for individuals undergoing motor rehabilitation after neurological damage, as well as for posture improvement.
Sponsored Links (Ads by Google)

MIT researchers Jeff Lieberman and Cynthia Breazeal have published the results of the study in a recent issue of IEEE Transactions on Robotics. The study presents a proof-of-concept wearable robotic system that provides real-time tactile feedback over every joint simultaneously.

"Oddly enough, the idea for the robot suit initially came from a dream," Lieberman told PhysOrg.com. "The dream involved people who weren't physically able to express themselves, but who were mentally normal, who used a machine that aided them to get their inner feelings out. This ranged from people with muscular difficulties to even toddlers and 'untrained' people who do not know how to wield a paintbrush. Upon waking and thinking about that idea for about an hour, the idea for this project was born, and I started doing research that day; the overall project was about six months for software and hardware development."

In experiments with arm motions, the researchers found that the suit increased students' learning rates by up to 23%, and reduced errors by up to 27%, as well as enabling students to learn movements "more deeply" by affecting their subconscious learning of motor skills. The latter can be especially important for patients with neurological injuries who have lost the ability to form new long-term memories, but can still build new motor skills.

The suit works by optically tracking body markers for the teacher's movement (or a pre-recorded ideal movement) and the student's movement with a Vicon motion capture system, which has millimeter accuracy. The tracking data is fed to software that compares the teacher's and student's movements, and generates feedback signals to the suit.

"The most challenging part was the human motion tracking system, which needs to function extremely quickly [about 100 hz] and be extremely accurate [about 1mm] to be able to adequately represent complex human motions," Lieberman explained. "The system we use is a very expensive one for very high-tech applications, and for this to be successful in the real world it has to be much less expensive, and very robust. Tracking systems are typically optical [needing a setup in the room] or exoskeleton-style [wearable] which results in high expense and high weight, respectively. We'd like to solve both those at the same time and are working on new possibilities, although it is not the main focus of the research."

Small actuators against the skin vibrate in proportion to the amount of positional error of the student's joints, giving the sensation of a vibrating "force field" around the correct motion. The suit can also correct for rotational errors of joints by sequentially vibrating individual actuators placed around joints clockwise or counterclockwise, giving the sensation that a rotating signal is urging the joint to rotate.

From the Business Desk

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Important news for consumers with special needs

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