The Tactile Wand, conceptualized by Jin Woo Han, aids the visually impaired by offering an alternative to the ‘walking stick’. The Tactile Wand utilizes sensors to detect the distance of approaching objects. By using vibrations to signal the distance of objects, the user can determine whether or not he/she is on a collision course. The stronger the vibration, the closer an object is.

This is also good for people who aren’t blind, as this can lessen the chance of being whacked by a traditional walking stick. It seems very lightweight and easy to use, though I have no idea how this is powered. Batteries? Also, I am curious to see how this will be received by the blind. I find objects that vibrate to be extremely annoying if it is constantly vibrating. I mean, I have to turn off my Xbox 360 controller’s vibration feature off, because it gets annoying, especially when playing FPS’s. I wonder if they will find this the same.

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Via: Tuvie