Mapping the Unseen: Researchers Engineer the Body’s GPS System in the Laboratory

Scientists have generated human stem cell models which contain notochord -- a tissue in the developing embryo that acts like a navigation system, directing cells where to build the spine and nervous system (the trunk). Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have generated human stem cell models1 which, for the first time, contain notochord --
HomeHealthRevolutionary Virtual Reality System Enhances Navigation for Individuals with Visual Impairments

Revolutionary Virtual Reality System Enhances Navigation for Individuals with Visual Impairments

A recent study brings optimism to individuals who are blind or have low vision (pBLV) through the creation of a groundbreaking navigation system that was evaluated in a virtual reality setting. This system integrates vibrations and sound cues to enhance navigation in intricate real-world surroundings, making it safer and more efficient for users.

A recent study brings optimism to individuals who are blind or have low vision (pBLV) through the creation of a groundbreaking navigation system that was evaluated in a virtual reality setting. This system integrates vibrations and sound cues to enhance navigation in intricate real-world surroundings, making it safer and more efficient for users.

The study conducted by NYU Tandon School of Engineering and published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology is a step forward in the efforts of John-Ross Rizzo, Maurizio Porfiri, and their team to create an innovative wearable system that enables pBLV individuals to independently navigate their environments.

“Standard mobility tools have significant drawbacks that we aim to address,” commented Fabiana Sofia Ricci, the lead author of the paper and a Ph.D. candidate in NYU Tandon’s Biomedical Engineering (BME) and Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP). “White canes only help detect objects upon contact and overlook obstacles outside of their reach, while guide dogs come with the need for extensive training and can be expensive. Consequently, only about 2 to 8 percent of visually impaired Americans utilize these aids.”

In this research, the team reduced the previously larger haptic feedback system, which was based in a backpack, down to a sleek belt fitted with 10 precision vibration motors. The electronic parts, which include a custom circuit board and microcontroller, have been compacted into a convenient waist bag, a vital advancement toward making the technology viable for everyday application.

The system delivers dual forms of sensory feedback: vibrant signals through the belt indicate where obstacles are and how close they are, while audio beeps through a headset grow more frequent as users near an obstruction in their path.

“We aspire to create a technology that is lightweight, unobtrusive, and encompasses all necessary functionalities for effective and safe navigation,” said Rizzo, an associate professor in NYU Tandon’s BME department, as well as an associate director at NYU WIRELESS and a faculty member at CUSP and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

“Our aim is to design something that can be worn with any outfit, ensuring users are not inconvenienced by the technology.”

The research team tested their invention by engaging 72 sighted participants who donned Meta Quest 2 VR headsets along with haptic feedback belts while walking around NYU’s Media Commons at 370 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, an expansive room simply separated by side curtains.

Participants navigated through a virtual subway station designed to simulate what someone suffering from advanced glaucoma would perceive — featuring limited peripheral vision, blurred imagery, and distorted color recognition. This environment was crafted using Unity gaming software to replicate the real room’s dimensions, enabling the team to assess the participants’ capability to navigate with the belt’s vibrations and audio signals while experiencing visual impairment.

“We collaborated with mobility experts and ophthalmologists from NYU Langone to accurately recreate the symptoms associated with advanced glaucoma in our VR simulation,” stated Porfiri, the senior author of the paper, CUSP Director, and an Institute Professor in NYU Tandon’s BME and Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Departments. “We included familiar transit challenges that visually impaired individuals encounter regularly, such as malfunctioning elevators, construction areas, pedestrian crowds, and unexpected barriers.”

Findings indicated that haptic feedback effectively minimized collisions with obstacles, while audio signals aided users in moving more seamlessly through their environment. Future investigations will involve individuals experiencing actual vision impairment.

This technology complements the features of Commute Booster, a mobile application under development by Rizzo’s team, which aims to guide pBLV individuals in navigating subway stations. Commute Booster functions by “reading” station signs and directing users while the haptic belt assists them in avoiding physical barriers during their travels.

In December 2023, the National Science Foundation (NSF) granted Rizzo, Porfiri, and a group of NYU colleagues $5 million via its Convergence Accelerator program, which focuses on fostering the creation of assistive and rehabilitative technologies. This funding, along with additional grants from NSF, has supported this research and the ongoing development of Commute Booster. Besides Ricci, Rizzo, and Porfiri, the paper includes contributions from Lorenzo Liguori and Eduardo Palermo from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.