Virtual Game Helps the Blind Navigate New Environments

Learning to navigate a new home or location can be a challenge for the visually impaired, but a new project may help the process

Researchers in the Department of Ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Harvard Medical School developed a virtual game to help the blind find their way through new surroundings using computer generated layouts of public buildings

Participants can interact with the virtual environment with a keyboard and rather than relying on visual cues, the game uses auditory cues to help orient the playerAccording to a new report, the team of researchers are looking to incorporate other interfaces and tools such as a Wii remote or joystick.