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Abstract

Abstract: This project will develop an innovative echolocation device for blind infants. The commercial product will serve a large population of blind infants who at present have few alternatives to enhance their sensory capabilities and facilitate motor development. The proposed device: (a) is the only sensory substitution device for the blind to make use of the human ability to perceive bone conducted ultrasound; (b) makes use of the natural capacity for echolocation, rather than relying on processed sound, potentially facilitating the learning process, and making a more natural sensory substitution; and (c) by presenting the sounds in the ultrasonic region through bone conduction, it does not interfere with hearing of speech or environmental sounds. Evidence that bone- conducted ultrasound can be perceived through the vestibular sense even by the profoundly deaf suggests that this device could be of use for deaf-blind infants as well. The project will specifically demonstrate feasibility by a performance evaluation of the sonar parameters relevant to use by a blind infant, e.g. field of view, size and distance of object detection, and of the output to existing data on bone conduction thresholds and frequency discrimination.

Thesaurus Terms:
auditory stimulus, biomedical equipment development, blind aid, infant human (0-1 year), sensory signal detection, sonar, ultrasound
developmental psychology, sensory discrimination, sensory feedback, sound frequency, substitute sight, ultrasound therapy

Institution:	CERES TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER GROUP, LLC
	RAMSEY, NJ 07446
Fiscal Year:	2002
Department:
Project Start:	07-JUN-2002
Project End:	31-MAY-2003
ICD:	NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
IRG:	ZRG1