Skip to main content

Part of the book series: Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series ((DOPS,volume 47))

  • 77 Accesses

Abstract

Many efforts have been devoted to the design of sensory aids for blind persons. Since the introduction of Braille last century, a classical way has been to use the remaining sensory systems (mainly the auditory and tactile systems) as substitutive input to the brain. Recent developments in electronics and computer-science have made possible the design of sophisticated sensory and artificial substitution systems. An alternative approach, pioneered by Brindley and Lewin (1968), has been to bypass the impaired visual receptor organ (eye) by electrical stimulation of the visual cortex.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bach-y-Rita P. (1972) Brain Mechanisms in Sensory Substitution. Academic Press, New York & London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bach-y-Rita P., Collins C.C., Saunders F., White R. and Scadden L. (1969) Vision substitution by tactile image projection. Nature, 221: 963–964.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brindley G.S. and Lewin W.S. (1968) The sensations produced by electrical stimulation of the visual cortex. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 196: 479–493.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dobelle W.H., Quest D.O., Antunes J.L., Roberts T.S. and Girvin J.P. (1979) Artificial vision for the blind by electrical stimulation of the visual cortex. Neurosurgery, 5: 521–527.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fournier d’Albe E.E. (1920) The Optophone: An instrument for reading by ear. Nature, 105: 295–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansson G. (1983) Tactile guidance of movement. Int. J. Neurosci. 19: 37–46.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaas J.H., Merzenich M.M. and Killackey H.P. (1983) The reorganization of somatosensory cortex following peripheral nerve damage in adult and developing mammals. Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 6: 325–356.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kay L. (1974) A sonar aid to enhance spatial perception of the blina: engineering, design and evaluation. The Radio and Electronic engineer, 44: 605–627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingstone M.S. and Hubel D.H. (1983) Specificity of cortico-cortical connections in monkey visual system. Nature, 304: 531–533.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macko K.A., Jarvis C.D., Kennedy C., Miyaoka M., Shinohara M., Sokoloff L. and Mishkin M. (1982) Mapping the primate visual system with ∣2–14∣ deoxyglucose. Science, 218: 394–396.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marr D. (1982) Vision. A computational Investigation into the Human Representation and Processing of Visual Information. W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nye P.W. and Bliss J.C. (1970) Sensory aids for the blind: a challenging problem with lessons for the future. Proceeding of the IEEE, 58: 1878–1898.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orban G.A. (1984) Neuronal operations in the visual cortex. Studies of Brain Function. Vol. 11. H.B. Barlow, T.H. Bullock, E. Florey, O.J. Grüsser & A. Peters (Eds.). Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 367 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard I., Veraart C. and Wanet M.-C. (1983) Space perception by blind subjects using an ultrasonic echo-locating prosthesis. J. Physiol. (Lond.), 345: 126P.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith G.C. The stereotoner: a new reading aid for the blind. Proc. 25th Ann. Conf. Engin. Med. Biol., Bal Harbour, Fla., October 1972, p. 157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strelow E.R. (1983) Use of the binaural sensory aid by young children. J. of visual impairment and blindness, 77: 429–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tachi S., Tanie K., Komoriya K. and Abe M. (1982) Electrocutaneous communication in seeing-eye robot (Meldog). IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 29: 607.

    Google Scholar 

  • von Holst E. and Mittelstaedt H. (1950) Das Reafferenzprinzip (Wechselwirkungen zwischen Zentral-nervensystem und Peripherie). Naturwissenschaften, 37: 464–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wanet M.-C. and Veraart C. (1984) Improvements in space coding by blind people by means of a sensory substitution system. Behav. Brain Res., in press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1986 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Veraart, C., Orban, G.A., Wanet, M.C., Richard, I. (1986). Design of Sensory Substitution Systems for the Blind. In: Emiliani, P.L. (eds) Development of Electronic Aids for the Visually Impaired. Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series, vol 47. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4281-3_29

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4281-3_29

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8402-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4281-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics