Student engineers create wearable device to help visually impaired navigate obstacles

Student engineers in Indiana developed AuralVision, a wearable device using sensors and haptic feedback to help blind or visually impaired users detect obstacles, as reported by WKRC. The prototype aims to supplement canes or guide dogs. The project originated with Rose-Hulman graduate John Marum, who adapted time-of-flight sensor technology after seeing it monitor airport supplies. Working with five students, the team shifted from smart glasses to a baseball cap design after tester feedback, placing sensors on the brim and using vibrations to signal obstacle direction. The device operates offline without subscriptions, with a 12-hour battery. Feedback from visually impaired residents at an assisted-living community noted constant vibrations could distract older users, prompting plans for customizable patterns. The device remains a prototype, but creators hope further development could lead to a market product enhancing independent mobility.