NSF Convergence Accelerator Track H: Smart Wearables for Expanding Workplace Access for People with Blindness and Low Vision

NSF 融合加速器轨道 H：智能可穿戴设备，扩大失明和低视力人士的工作场所使用范围

• 批准号: 2236097
• 负责人: John Ross Rizzo
• 金额: $ 74.35万
• 依托单位: New York University Medical Center
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-12-15 至 2024-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2236097&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Convergence; Accelerator; Track; Smart; NSF; Convergence; Accelerator; Track; Smart

There are 285 million people with blindness and low vision (pBLV) worldwide. One dramatic correlate of vision loss is unemployment, with rates as high as 81% in urban environments. Employment disparities stem, at least in large part, from difficulties with transportation to and from work and wayfinding within the workplace itself. This project takes a fundamental step in addressing the employment challenges of pBLV through a recently developed, powerful assistive-navigation platform, the Visually Impaired Smart Service System for Spatial Intelligence and Onboard Navigation (VIS4ION). VIS4ION is a discreet, instrumented backpack with an array of miniaturized sensors integrated into backstraps that connect to an embedded system for computational analysis. Real-time feedback is provided through a binaural bone conduction headset and an optional reconfigured waist strap turned haptic interface. The platform provides valuable micro-services for pBLV, including real-time navigation, scene analysis, and obstacle avoidance, all of which could transform workplace experiences for pBLV. To realize the goals of the project, a transdisciplinary team brings expertise across engineering (computer vision, haptics, sensors, and wireless), medicine (neurology and rehabilitation), and management (organizational change and behavior). These academic disciplines are partnered with a start-up, Tactile Navigation Tools (TNT), which is commercializing the technology, larger corporate firms in the space, a BLV-focused non-profit, Lighthouse Guild, and key government agencies. The development and deployment of advanced, connected wearables in workplace environments faces significant technical, business, social, and logistical challenges. This translational project seeks to overcome these challenges by completing four inter-connected tasks: Task 1 performs the first detailed, workplace-oriented study that assesses navigation accuracy of VIS4ION, as measured using additional cameras and inertial measurement units; Task 2 builds on the current VIS4ION interfaces to establish scalable, reproducible, and lower-cost tactile feedback, together with a new audio-based “cognitive assistant” for guidance; Task 3 augments the wearable with high-speed 5G connectivity to provide real-time, powerful cloud-based machine vision processing; Task 4 affords a series of novel studies to assess the workplace experiences of pBLV via our partner, Lighthouse Guild. The assessment includes both “think aloud” recordings and contextualized reflections. The total cost of BLV was recently estimated to be $3 trillion dollars globally. The pathologic link between vision loss and inactivity precipitates debility and unemployment. Mobility losses lead to employment barriers, as pBLV struggle during daily commuting, wayfinding in the workplace, and variable work routines that have been intensified by the pandemic. This proposal aims to increase the safety profile and ease-of-use of a wearable platform toward ‘connected’ dynamic navigation in complex workplace environments. Future goals for scaling the platform include adding additional social capabilities such as face and emotion recognition to substantively improve quality of life in a smarter and more connected, disability-first city landscape. Beyond the envisioned impact on science, engineering, and improving the lives of pBLV, this program will foster formal and informal learning opportunities for graduate, undergraduate, medical, and high school students in clinical and fundamental STEM/STEAM research. These training opportunities will foster multi-pronged and multi-disciplinary team approaches critical to the development of innovative solutions for complex real-world problems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

全球有2.85亿人失明和低视力（PBLV）。视力丧失的一种戏剧性相关是失业，在城市环境中的比率高达81％。就业差异至少在很大程度上是由于在工作场所本身内的工作和寻路的运输困难而造成的。该项目通过一个最近开发，强大的辅助 - 游动平台，即空间智能和机上导航（Vis4ion）的视觉障碍智能服务系统来应对PBLV的就业挑战。 Vis4ion是一个谨慎的仪器背包，其中包含一系列的微型传感器集成到背面，这些传感器连接到嵌入式系统进行计算分析。通过二元骨传导耳机和可选的重新配置的腰带变成触觉界面提供实时反馈。该平台为PBLV提供了宝贵的微服务，包括实时导航，场景分析和避免障碍物，所有这些都可以改变PBLV的工作场所体验。为了实现该项目的目标，一个跨学科的团队在工程（计算机愿景，触觉，传感器和无线），医学（神经病学和康复）和管理（组织变革和行为）中带来了专业知识。这些学术学科与启动，触觉导航工具（TNT）合作，该工具将技术商业化，该技术的较大公司公司，以BLV为重点的非营利组织，灯塔公会和主要的政府机构。在工作场所环境中，高级互联可穿戴设备的开发和部署面临着重要的技术，业务，社会和后勤挑战。该翻译的项目旨在通过完成四个相互连接的任务来克服这些挑战：任务1执行了第一个详细的，面向工作场所的研究，以评估Vis4ion的导航准确性，该研究使用其他相机和惯性测量单元进行了测量；任务2建立在当前的Vis4ion界面上，以建立可扩展，可重现和较低成本的触觉反馈，以及新的基于音频的“认知助手”以进行指导；任务3通过高速5G连接增强可穿戴设备，以提供实时，强大的基于云的机器视觉处理；任务4提供了一系列新颖的研究，可以通过我们的合作伙伴Lighthouse Guild评估PBLV的工作场所经历。评估包括“大声思考”录音和上下文化的反思。 BLV的总成本最近估计为全球3万亿美元。视力丧失与无效精确度持久性与失业之间的病理联系。流动性损失导致就业障碍，随着日常通勤期间的PBLV斗争，工作场所的寻路和受到大流行启发的可变工作常规。该建议旨在提高可穿戴平台的安全性和易用性，以在复杂的工作场所环境中“连接”动态导航。扩展平台的未来目标包括添加其他社交能力，例如面部和情感认可，以实质性地改善更智能，更具联系，更紧密的残疾 - 省第一个城市景观的生活质量。除了对科学，工程和改善PBLV生活的影响外，该计划还将为临床和基本的STEM/Steam Research的研究生，本科生，医学和高中生提供正式和非正式的学习机会。这些培训机会将促进多支处理和多学科团队的方法对于为复杂现实世界中的创新解决方案开发至关重要。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的知识分子的优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来诚实地支持支持。