Using games, researchers have tested a brand-new device designed to make it easier for blind and visually impaired people to perceive their surroundings
French company Artha France has developed a haptic feedback belt for visually impaired or blind people.
The belt transmits sensations on the skin from an input such as a camera or screen.
In order to test the device, the company chose Trackmania, since it is a straightforward and consistent game. As well as mimicking real-life challenges. Trackmania also requires players to be able to get insight into their surroundings quickly and consistently.
In the beginning, the device took from 6 to 20 hours for users to get the hang of. But this time has been significantly reduced to about an hour.
Artha France first introduced this revolutionary device at the ParisGamesWeek event in France.
They tested the first prototypes back in 2018 on Minecraft and then eventually Trackmania.
They also tested the device in real-world applications. At first, it was a bracelet. Then on the advice of a physiotherapist, they adapted the device to the lumbar region of the back.
When they tested the device on Trackmania in 2021, in order to control the vehicle at several hundred km/hr they further advanced the display by a factor of 10. After months of work, a blind man was able to control the car at more than 130kms’/hr. in only one hour.
They have also tested the device on driving real cars. So in four years of development, they went from testing the device on mini-games to driving cars, riding a bike, and walking down the street.
The company’s motto regarding the device is “to the impossible no one is bound”. This shows their incredible progress with this device and it will be exciting to see where this technology can go in the future. Using a simple belt and input device, a previously disadvantaged blind or visually impaired person can overcome many obstacles.
We are eager to see what the technology will accomplish in the future because it already has a wide range of practical uses.