Blind

Participants in a study have successfully played through a video game without ever actually looking at it. They were guided through virtual mazes via direct brain stimulation, which could lead to sensory prosthetics to help visually-impaired people navigate or provide a new way to interact with VR.

The mySmartCane system is the latest modern-day take on a centuries-old mobility aid, consisting of a ball that can be retrofitted to existing canes to equip them with parking sensor-like technology and give users a better sense of their surroundings.

It's quiet… Too quiet. Although the silky near-silence of an EV in motion is usually a good thing, the NHTSA has announced a new safety standard, that would require new hybrid and electric vehicles to emit warning sounds to alert pedestrians, particularly the visually impaired, to their presence.

​The ancient Egyptian god Horus lost his eye in a fight, before having it restored. A symbol of restoration, it's the perfect name for a new wearable device for visually-impaired people, which describes a user’s surroundings to help them avoid obstacles, recognize faces and objects, and read text.

Visual impairment and blindness is an extremely widespread issue that affects an estimated 285 million people across the globe. oDocs Eye Care is hoping to put a dent in those numbers, producing low-cost, portable eye examination accessories designed to harness the power of the iPhone.

Smartphone users with limited vision will often utilize the phone's zoom feature. The problem is, it can be difficult to keep track of which part of the overall display they're zoomed-in on. That's why researchers have developed a Google Glass-based alternative.

An international team of scientists has used human stem cells to build layers of eye tissue that was then implanted into rabbits to restore vision. With promising early results, the researchers say their findings could usher in trials where such transplantations are put to the test in humans.

Toyota is developing a wearable device for the blind and visually impaired called Blaid. Using inbuilt camerasa, it can take in the user's surroundings and relay information to them via audio and vibration cues.

A pair of researchers at Rutgers University School of Engineering came up with a way of improving the situation for students at a training center for the blind and visually impaired in New Brunswick by 3D-printing detailed braille maps of the facility.

We've already seen a number of systems designed to alert blind users to objects in their path, using cues such as audio tones or vibrations. The "Proximity Hat," however, applies pressure to the wearer's head, in the direction of the obstacle.​

A team of researchers is working to turn the powerful CRISPR gene-editing tool towards treating a serious eye disease. Early results are promising, with the team successfully correcting the mutation that causes the condition in cells outside the body.

​Suppose you had a tablet that only displayed one line of text at a time. It would be pretty frustrating, but it's a limitation that blind users of braille-displaying devices are faced with constantly. Thanks to new technolog, however, full-page braille tablets could soon be on their way.​