Realizing the Next Generation Visual Aid Presentation

National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

John F. Kennedy Space Center

SPACEPORT ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

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Realizing the Next Generation Realizing the Next Generation Visual AidVisual Aid

Paul MoganJune 21, 2004




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The first generation – LVES 1994 Developed by NASA and Johns

Hopkins Headset weight: 2.5 LB, mostly

forward Black & White image Quickly became uncomfortable Unsuitable for the elderly due to

weight Totally obstructed field of view

Some HistorySome History




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Second Generation – JORDY 1.0 1999 Color Image Lighter Can act as

CCTV on a stand





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Third Generation – Jordy 2 2001 Color images Weighs only 7 oz Better low light

performance Better depth of field Can easily be “looked

around”” for orientation





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Why is Next Generation Visual Aid Important?Why is Next Generation Visual Aid Important?

Millions of people in America have severe vision loss. According to the Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss, in

2010 there will be an estimated 8.3 million Americans, ages 65 and over who have some type of visual impairment. This number is expected to grow quickly from 2010 to 2030 to a total of 14.8 million elderly Americans with a visual impairment, 7.7 million of which will have a severe impairment.

According to the National Advisory Eye Council, the economic impact of visual disorders and disabilities was approximately $14.2 billion per year in 1981. By 1995 this figure was estimated to have risen to more than $38.4 billion per year.

We are changing people’s lives for the better. We are giving them hope. We are CREATING ABILITY

Proverbs says: “Without Vision the people perish” Proverbs 29:18




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Why is Next Generation Visual Aid Important?Why is Next Generation Visual Aid Important?

How much is it worth to be able to see faces? How much is it worth to be able to read stories to your kids? What’s the price of a person’s self-esteem?

The reason, above all else, is that we are helping PEOPLE




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Goal for Advanced Visual AidGoal for Advanced Visual Aid

To create Ability from Disability for those with visual impairmentAddress both the needs of low vision patients AND

those with situational visual impairmentsTarget developments to both the wide consumer

market AND the disability marketMass consumer market will attract partners,

finance research and lower the cost of what is developed




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Display

Camera

Battery

Electronics &Wireless communications

Concept for Low Vision AidConcept for Low Vision Aid

Image processing,camera control &wireless communications




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How Do We Achieve This Goal?How Do We Achieve This Goal?

The consumer marketplace is driving the developments we need Smaller and more powerful ultra portable computers (computer

gaming and laptops) Increasing integration of functionality into portable devices (cell

phone, PDA etc) Computer, cell phone, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Global

Positioning Satellite (GPS) Wireless communication and smart networks

Improved display technologies with better resolution, higher contrast and lower power consumption (portable computing)

Smaller batteries with higher energy density (laptops, cell phones) Smaller, lighter optics and cameras (digital cameras, camcorders)

We “ride the wave” of these technologies and develop only what we need to.




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Innovative Displays Make New Devices PossibleInnovative Displays Make New Devices Possible

Electronic Ink (e-ink.com) gives a paper-like high contrast reflective display visible in even bright light.

Displays are light, thin and low power

Picture shows Sony e-book device with e-ink display

Today’s TechnologyToday’s Technology




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Innovative Displays Make New Devices PossibleInnovative Displays Make New Devices Possible

Philips has developed a display which can be rolled up

Displays can be large but fit into compact spaces.





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Shrinking Size of Portable ElectronicsShrinking Size of Portable Electronics

World’s smallest cell phone: 3.3” X 2.1” X 0.33” weighing 2.5 oz.

Philips keychain camcorder, camera, MP3 player, flash drive MPEG4 Camcorder (25 min; QVGA

@ 30 fps), QVGA is 240 x 320 pixels

Micro display viewfinder 2MP Digital Still Camera (200 pics) USB direct battery re-charge 128MB USB storage device 2 hours of MP3 play-back

NEC N900 phone

Philips Key019





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Computing Needs for Next Generation Visual AidComputing Needs for Next Generation Visual Aid

A controller for next generation low vision aid should: Provide wireless connection to head mounted portion Provide internet connectivity to promote wayfinding and

incorporation of other capabilities Integrate easily with capabilities developed by other

researchers Be capable of exploiting RFID and other technologies

Computing needs might be satisfied in one of 3 ways: Computers with a laptop form factor Computers with a PocketPC form factor Cellular phones (most promising)





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Tiny Laptop-Type ComputersTiny Laptop-Type Computers

Tiny computer in a “laptop” form factor – Flipstart computer (Vulcan)1 GHz Transmeta

Crusoe processor 5.8” X 4” X 1”Weighs 1 poundBuilt in 802.11G wireless





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Pocket-Sized PCPocket-Sized PC

Going beyond today’s very light laptops, there are currently several different ultra-personal computers The size of a PDA Also function as a desktop

computer when in docking stand Run Windows XP and have 1

GHz processor USB, wireless internet, Bluetooth,

firewire etc

Antelope Technologies

OQO





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More Than A Cell PhoneMore Than A Cell Phone Nokia 7700

Music and video playback and streaming Internet browsing Video playback (Realplayer) 640x480 camera with 2X digital zoom FM radio Email , text messaging, multimedia messaging MP3 player Integrated handsfree & voice recorder Bluetooth technology (including audio) Personal Information Management: calendar,

contacts, tasks, calculator and more Word, Sheet, and Presentation Viewer; Word &

Sheet converter Touch screen and pen-based (stylus) input Weight: 6.5 Oz Dimensions: 5.3 in/ x 3.1 in. x 0.9 in. Display size: 640 x 320 pixels 65,536 colors On-screen keyboard Handwriting recognition Runs JAVA applets 20 MB internal storage, 64 MB memory card (can

buy 128 MB card) Bluetooth, can synchronize with local PC


Nokia 9500 Communicator




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Thin-Client Computer With HMDThin-Client Computer With HMD

Microvision’s Nomad Expert SystemAugmented reality

HMDThin client computerUsed in automotive

industry to overlay diagrams on hardware being worked on

Nomad System





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Approaching the One-Chip DeviceApproaching the One-Chip Device

Today it takes 1 chip for microcontrollers in small devices, GPS and radio (see figure: from left to right - a microcontroller chip, GPS receiver chip, & OOK radio module)

Near-term Developments (<1 year to market)Near-term Developments (<1 year to market)




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Information Storage & BatteriesInformation Storage & Batteries Toshiba has the world’s smallest hard

drive at about 0.85 inches diameter and holds 4 GB

Toshiba 1.8” used in Apple IPOD IPOD Mini uses 1” Hitachi drive Seagate 1” 5GB drive to sell in 2004,

one version for mobile electronics, the other will fit into compact flash slot

Philips Research Labs has developed the ability to manufacture curved Li Ion batteries that do not compromise battery efficiency

Battery design can be ergonomic Direct Methanol Fuel Cells and

Hydrogen Fuel Cells are also coming to market

Toshiba Hard Drive

Lithylene curved battery cell





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Tiny Auto-focus Lenses & CamerasTiny Auto-focus Lenses & Cameras

Philips Research Labs has developed a tiny variable focus fluid lens. It is aimed at the digital camera market. The picture shows a camera with the lens on it. On the right is the lens by itself. The lens can become concave or convex.





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Trends in Semiconductor IndustryTrends in Semiconductor Industry

Computer chipsChip makers are now moving from a 90

nanometer feature size to a 65 nanometer feature size. This will reduce chip sizes and power consumption.

Intel has just released a new chip set and reference design which enables smaller PDAs

Processors for mobile computing continue to become faster and have lower power consumption





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Trends in Cell Phone Processor PerformanceTrends in Cell Phone Processor Performance

Intel just introduced a MEMS chip that integrates passive components onto a single chip, saving 66% in size

Hermon, Intel's next-generation integrated cellular processor will integrate the Bulverde application processor formally launched last week as well as a baseband processor and flash.

The Hermon chip will bring Pentium-class performance to cell phones and could help reduce component count which today hovers at about 200 parts in phones with 286-class performance

Cell phones can now read RFID tags. Nokia recently introduced a Mobile RFID kit for its 5140 GSM phones. (Check out www.nwfusion.com, DocFinder: 1729, for details).

Cell phones are adding the processing power and capabilities and already have internet access. They already have a huge user base and are produced in the millions.





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Trends in PCsTrends in PCs

Developments in PCs AMD's HyperTransport allows a computer's key components to

communicate with each other at speeds of up to 50 times faster than the PCI bus currently used in most PCs

PCI Express - faster and simpler version of the PCI bus that promises to reduce the size and cost of both plug-in cards and motherboards

Serial ATA - high-speed storage interface that cuts down on the cabling within PCs

Serial-Attached SCSI - speed-scalable and less power-hungry version of the familiar SCSI storage device interface that also allows for physically smaller drives

Express-Card - new PC expansion card standard, based on PCI Express, replaces older PCMCIA cards with smaller, faster and cheaper plug-in modules

Transition from 32-bit to 64-bit technology





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Engineering The ProductEngineering The ProductChallenge: Transparent UseChallenge: Transparent Use

This is one of our big challenges Involves

Ease of useIntuitiveness

Enhance senses we use

Many low vision patients are elderly. Many in the current generation of elderly people suffer from Technophobia

Clinical trials and real-world feedback are crucial




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Engineering The ProductEngineering The ProductChallenge: Operational InertiaChallenge: Operational Inertia

What kind of resistance does the device have against its use?

Involves Ease of setup – time and effort required before initial use Interactive complexity – how difficult is device to interact with

(controls etc) Obtrusiveness of device

When not in use When in use – does it make you look like a geek?

Price to the end user Many low vision patients are elderly with fixed income $4,000 is too much for many of them

Documents

Realizing the Next Generation Visual Aid Presentation