Geneva – An interactive haptic-based system can help guide blind skiers. This is the result of the study “Haptic assistive bracelets for blind skier guidance”, conducted by the SIRSLab of the Department of Information Technology and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Siena. The study was presented on 27 February in Geneva during the Augmented Human International Conference 2016, dedicated to capacity building of the human body through technologies. The research team, composed of Professor Domenico Prattichizzo and researchers Marco Aggravi and Gionata Salvietti, prepared an innovative touch interface to improve the communication between an instructor and a person with low vision during skiing. In practice, the skier receives directional information by the instructor through two vibrating bracelet worn on the forearms. The instructor sends the signals during the descent through the use of special ski sticks, equipped with Bluetooth technology. (9Colonne)
