Hokies give (tactile) sight to the blind so they can drive, no word on turning water into wine

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/01/markontrack.jpg
[/img]
Daytona International Speedway is synonymous with speed, auto racing,
and . . . blind people? Virginia Tech's Robotics and Mechanisms
Laboratory (RoMeLa), along with the National Federation of the Blind
(NFB), recently debuted its sight-optional and street-legal SUV at
the famed racetrack. Dr. Dennis Hong and his students first let blind
folks drive a dune buggy without the help of a sighted copilot in 2009
-- as a first step to achieving the goal of a street-legal SUV for the
sightless crowd. The SUV in question was designed for the NFB's Blind
Driver Challenge, and is equipped with a drive-by-wire system --
also seen in the RoMeLa autonomous vehicle -- that was modified for
use with RoMeLa's SpeedStrip and DriveGrip tactile interface
technology. It works by using a laser rangefinder to map the
surrounding area, relaying information for acceleration and braking
to the driver by rumbling the SpeedStrip seat, and passing along
turning info through vibrations in the DriveGrip gloves. The system
was not developed solely for the purpose of getting blind drivers on
the road, however, as Virginia Tech suggests that its technology
could also be used in gaming applications. We're not quite ready to
see blind drivers on actual roads just yet, but why shouldn't our
sight-impaired friends get to enjoy Gran Turismo 5 with the rest of
us? Video's after the break.