SEEING WITH SOUND
like echo locating bats.

SonicVisioN's airborne ultrasonic imaging technology enables the Blind and mobile robots to perceive objects.

Observation of blind persons using Kay's very high resolution ultrasonic spatial sensors over a period of many years has generated insights to mobility which may not otherwise have occurred.

SonicVisioN's product, KASPA, provides the means to see with sound through an interactive looking action. The sensor is mounted on the head of a blind person and the output stereo sounds fed to the ears by miniature earphones to produce immediately a dynamic real-time neural image of object space. Comprehension is learned over a period of time.

Blind girl reaching with aid of sensor

Also the sound can be fed to a computer based. very fast, two channel FFT processor modelling the two Cochleas. The two outputs from the FFT processor can then be further processed by software to model the auditory neural system so as to generate high resolution location of objects forming the environment. Software to provide the visual display of location of multiple objects in a field of view of 90 degrees is developed. This can be used by a teacher to better understand the spatial significance of the sounds. Software for classification and identification of objects is under continuous development. For example using neural networks, identification of four different species of leafy plant from any aspect has been achieved (University of Wollongong) - comparable to that which has been enjoyed by blind persons for many years (University of Canterbury).

Because of the work for the Blind, spatial cognition in robots is coming within reach. The mapping of multiple objects is now available for robot use. Instructions for action by a robot is under development by robot engineers.

The schematic of the sensing system is shown below

History	Videos	References	Bay Advanced Technologies (frame site)
			Ultrasonic Imaging (no frames)	Custom Sensors (no frames)

Best experienced with

This site was last updated on 9 November 1999

Designed by © 1997-98 e-mail