VISION-SUBSTITUTION TRAVEL AID SYSTEMS FOR UNKNOWN ENVIROMENTS Virtual Reality Simulator For Visually Impaired People Main Idea Virtual Reality Simulator for Visually Impaired

According to an international survey performed by the World Health Organization, it was estimated that the number of visually impaired people in the year 2002 rose to about 161 million (2.6% of the world’s population). Therefore, a large number of people are suffering from a visual handicap which impedes them from normally accomplishing their daily activities. As a result, there is need for an assistive device based on an alternative modality, that can complement or replace sight by another sense -auditory, haptic (tactile or kinesthetic) [13], or a combination of bothand that can offer a means to deal with blindness. Rapid progress is ongoing in various fields of medicine, as advances in computer technology are enhancing extended development and evolution in simulation, visualization and virtual reality systems. As a result, a convenient approach is the use of augmented reality for the development of assistive devices for visually-handicapped people. This paper presents the current state of research in the field of virtual reality and six assistive devices for visually-impaired people, the technology engaged to provide effective and reliable benefits and some of the most interesting and innovative applications in the area of rehabilitation techniques based on another senses. Keywords—sensory substitution, assistive IT, virtual reality, augmented reality