title: A man-machine vision interface for sensing the environment.
abstract: This study describes a computer vision approach for sensing the environment with the intent of helping people with a visual impairment. The principal goal in applying computer vision is to exploit, in an optimal fashion, the information acquired by the camera(s) to yield useful descriptions of the viewed environment. The objective is to seek efficient and reliable guidance cues in order to improve the mobility needs of individuals with a visual impairment. In this research direction, the following problems are identified and addressed: 1) the vision system design; 2) establishment of the mapping principles between the two-dimensional (2-D) camera images and the three-dimensional (3-D) real world; 3) development of appropriate imaging techniques for the interpretation of the 2-D images; and, 4) establishment of a communication link between the vision system and the user. The soundness of this research direction is assessed by means of a theoretical framework and experimental evaluations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami 33199.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adjouadi
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001766:Blindness / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003867:Depth Perception; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D008838:Microcomputers; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012682:Sensory Aids; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014785:Vision, Ocular