One embodiment of a system for presenting audio and tactile representations of visual and non-visual items includes obtaining (1) items, acquiring (2) a primary item and acquiring (3) secondary items according to criteria, and processing (4) the acquired items into the form of categorically-perceived audio and/or tactile effects (for example speech sounds), the primary and secondary items being distinguishable via categorically-distinct effects such as echo, reverberation, voice character, tactile effects, and stereophonic and/or tactile location. The resultant effects are typically presented (6) to an auditory and/or tactile display, allowing people can have their focus of attention directed to primary items, and simultaneously be made aware of secondary items. The magnitude of the effects can relate to the values of certain properties of the items (5). Facilities are provided for presenting and navigating multi-level representations of visual scenes and non-visual entities, interfacing to other systems, and interpreting entities from different viewpoints. Other embodiments are described and shown.

Implementations described herein relate to methods, systems, and computer-readable media for accessible computer-user scenarios. For example, a method can include displaying a graphical user interface on a display screen. The graphical user interface includes a virtual assessment, the virtual assessment is representative of an assessment examination, and the graphical user interface further comprises a graphical region that represents a portion of a logical problem of the assessment examination. The method can also include determining placement and/or alignment of an embossed screen overlay that allows a visually-disabled person to interact with the computer.

A recreational and/or sports type transport (board) having an object detection and proximity warning system. The board uses sensors and calculates the distance from object, and then warns the user of the proximity of same through tactile and/or audio feedback.

A communication support device comprises an imaging unit, a counterpart detector, a distance measuring unit, a expression determination unit, a motion determination unit, and a voice output unit. The imaging unit captures an image of a surrounding environment of a user. The counterpart detector detects a predetermined counterpart in the captured image. The distance measuring unit measures a distance between the counterpart and the imaging unit based on the captured image. The expression determination unit determines a facial expression of the counterpart based on the captured image. The motion determination unit determines a motion of the counterpart based on the captured image. The voice output unit notifies the user of identification information for identifying the counterpart by a voice when the distance measured by the distance measuring unit is an interaction distance of a first threshold or less. The voice output unit then notifies the user of the identification information and at least one of facial expression information related to the facial expression determined by the expression determination unit and motion information related to the motion determined by the motion determination unit by a voice when the distance measured by the distance measuring unit is longer than the first threshold.

A wearable device determines an objective based on analyzing a voice of a user, where the wearable device comprises one or more wearable sensors and one or more wearable actuators. The wearable device identifies objects by the one or more wearable sensors. The wearable device determines an action based on the objective and the identified objects and guides the user to achieve and objective by the one or more wearable actuators.

The technology disclosed herein includes a navigation system for a visually impaired person to navigate a public restroom. The navigation system may include a plurality of fixtures, a plurality of installations, wherein each installation is electronically connected to a fixture, and an electronic device, the electronic device configured to receive auditory or tactile signals from each installation and produce a signal indicative of a fixture location. The plurality of fixtures may include a toilet, a urinal, a sink, a soap dispenser, and a hand drying apparatus.

An information processing device calculates an occupancy rate of a pedestrian crossing in an image obtained by capturing an image of a traveling direction of a target person, determines a crossing status of the target person for the pedestrian crossing based on the calculated occupancy rate, and generates support information for supporting the target person crossing the pedestrian crossing based on the crossing status.

Packaging for visually impaired and blind user is disclosed. In one embodiment, a package includes an exterior surface, a first sub-component package, and a second sub-component package. The first sub-component package and the second sub-component package are enclosed by the exterior surface in an interior region of the package. The package further includes a first non-visual message element associated with the first sub-component package, and a second non-visual message element associated with the second sub-component package. The non-visual message elements may be configured as tactile and/or audio non-visual message elements. In some embodiments, wireless signal emitter devices are provided within the package to actuate one or more speaker devices to thereby play auditory signals.

A method, computer system, and computer program product for providing spatial weather map data to the visually impaired are provided. The embodiments may include receiving a weather map image that contains weather information and a subject of interest, wherein the subject of interest comprises a user current location, a business location, or an asset location. The embodiments may also include receiving a request from a user for current time, historical or forecast data depicted in the weather map and a request for a geo-location of the subject of interest. The embodiments may further include generating sounds corresponding with the requested weather map data, wherein the generated sounds appear to the user to originate in a particular direction and at a particular distance from the subject of interest, wherein the apparent location of the sounds correspond with a weather map feature including the location of approaching or surrounding weather.

A system and method for assisting a visually impaired user including an imaging device, a processing unit for receiving images from the imaging device and converting the images into signals for use by one or more controllers, and one or more vibro-tactile devices, wherein the one or more controllers activates one or more of the vibro-tactile devices in response to said signals received from the processing unit. The system preferably includes a lanyard to be worn around the neck of the user such that a first vibro-tactile device is arranged on the right side of the user's neck, a second vibro-tactile device on a left side of the user's neck, and a third vibro-tactile device at the back portion of the user's neck. The vibro-tactile devices are activated depending on a determined position in front of the user of an object and the distance from the user to the object.