For Your Eyes Only? VL Eye Glasses Helping Blind Persons Move Around Freely using LiFi Tech
For Your Eyes Only? VL Eye Glasses Helping Blind Persons Move Around Freely using LiFi Tech! It’s a path-breaking, innovative eyeglasses, conceptualized, researched and designed by RDL Visible Light Communication and Research Centre at Sahyadri Innovation Hub at Sahyadri Engineering College, Mangaluru. Light is the source of energy. Light is the source of life. But for RDL technologies, light is the source of inspiration and a medium to develop the technology that has far-reaching implications.
Mangaluru: We are not talking about 1981 James Bond Movie “For Your Eyes Only” but about VL GLASS-A Ray of Hope for the blind..which Empowers The Blind and Visually Impaired, a concept developed by RDL. Revolutionary technology that leaves you with zero words. And unlimited possibility. RDL Visible Light Communication and Research Centre at Sahyadri Innovation Hub at Sahyadri Engineering College, Mangaluru have created a seemingly impossible technology in order to help the visually impaired to enable the visually impaired / blind person to move around freely within indoor environments like home or office or any unfamiliar spaces, with freedom and without facing any obstacles.
And RDL has invented this product by using LiFi technology. This is a medical breakthrough which allows the visually impaired to see the faces of loved ones, read, work, study, and participate in virtually any Activity of Daily Living indoor. This is indeed a path-breaking, innovative eyeglasses, conceptualized, researched and designed by RDL. We know just how devastating vision loss is. It’s why RDL has spent time working to pioneer vision-restoring technology. The presentation on VL GLASS: A Ray of Hope for the blind was held on Friday, 3rd of August 2016 at 12 noon at Sahyadri Innovation Hub, at Sahyadri Campus.
Light is the source of energy. Light is the source of life. But for RDL technologies, light is the source of inspiration and a medium to develop the technology that has far-reaching implications. VL Glass is a simple looking yet highly advanced glass which a blind or visual impaired person can wear. It’s also called as Versatile Personal Mobility Assistant. Yes. It’s a seamless, indoor navigator, which helps the person by navigating around the obstacles avoiding mishaps and dangerous objects. It enables the individual to move around with confidence and independence allowing the person to retain his self-respect and attitude.
To enable the visually impaired / blind person to move around freely within indoor environments like home or office or any unfamiliar spaces, with freedom and without facing any obstacles, RDL has invented a product by using visible light communication. That too, when you do away with the dependence on RF waves using only visible light as a medium for digital communications, it brings hopes in the hearts of millions of individuals sparing them exposure to deadly, harmful radiations from RF waves.
Briefing about how VL Glassworks, Raghavendra Shetty Director & CEO of RDL said, ” VL Glass is simply a pair of spectacles and a frame. Yet, it’s highly advanced and a technological marvel. A lot of research by RDL has gone into developing the prototype. In the frame between the glasses, there is bridge, on which a sensor is implanted. This sensor is a VILR – visible light Infrared receiver which receives the signals through visible light communication. On the frames connecting the glasses to the ear lobe there are vibrators on both sides. At the end of the frames, speakers are connected which act as earphones. On the frames connecting earlobes, there is a battery on the left frame and a navigator on the right frame”
“When the person walks under the LED lights which are strategically fixed on the roof of the room, the sensor scans the indoor environment, and sends the signal through the vibrator who wears the glasses and passes instructions through the speakers which are placed at the end of the frame which fits in the ears of the person. As the person walks under the light cones, the visible light communication enables the communications through the sensor. Challenges faced by the visual impaired are mainly the dependence on others and being prone to injuries as they are not aware of the surroundings. RDL’s visible light communication enabled VL Glass navigates the person indoor through instructions and vibration without the risk of accidents like bumping into a sofa or the door or any furniture, It actually instructs the person to sit down on the sofa when he walks near it” added Shetty.
He further said, “Seamless indoor navigation without GPS positioning allows the person to move freely and instruct him to stop when there is object lying in the path. The system configures the path, distance and the object which enables the person to feel the environment. The smart light handovers guidance and energy saving system enables the person to move from one place to another indoors. The rooms are fitted with LED bulbs strategically, which automatically switch on as the person moves from one direction to another, through visible light communication technology. As the person passes through the light cones, navigator helps him through instructions to stop, or turn or sit as the case may be. Another very interesting point is, it tells the person his position as to where he is, in the room. It has the precise 3D positioning system to find his location.”
Shetty further said, “The real-time activity monitoring and alerting system embedded in this technology has a great advantage. In case of any difficulty faced by the blind / visually impaired person within the room, it immediately alerts the persons concerned to take action by rushing in or availing quick help. It enables the visually impaired person to be free, have self-confidence, and independence to move freely and at will. The project concept also enables the use of solar cell for battery as well as spectacles. VL Glass is a product of research team at RDL Visible Light Communication and Research Centre which is located within the Sahyadri Innovation hub at Sahyadri Campus. Equipped with VLC based systems, it offers a platform for future R&D.”
It is learnt that RDL VLC Lab was inaugurated by Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, CEO & MD BrahMos Aerospace, DRDO on 26th March 2018. Immensely inspired by Dr. Mishra’s inspirational presence and encouragement, the whole team of Research Engineers, Faculty members and students, headed by Raghavendra Shetty, set forth to develop the product and within 3 months of inauguration of the lab, the product was delivered. The team is headed by Raghavendra Shetty, whose research and innovation in the path-breaking Visible light technology, developed the concept and architecture level product planning.
Other team members involved in this innovation are -Kanwal Karkera, the Technical Director headed the Firmware development team; Ganesh Aithal, Director of CAD design facilitated the PCB fabrication; Dr. Ashwath Rao, Ph.D. – IIIT Allahabad, HOD E&C Department and Dr. Anush Bekal, Ph.D.- IIIT Allahabad both the faculty members of Sahyadri Engineering College, provided the optical Sensor Fabrication guidance; Vishwanath Acharya CAD Modeling Support; and Pradeep, Machine Learning
RDL Technologies is supported by the innovative “Sahyadri Innovation Hub” under “Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, Mangaluru”. VL Glass is a commitment to the civic society from the technology leaders – RDL Technologies. To develop a technology which is very much concerned about public health, especially the next-gen, is the strong underlining motto of the research team at RDL technologies. Equally supported by the visionary Institution “Sahyadri Innovation Hub”, VL Glass brings a new vision into the world Blind and Visually impaired, helping them to lead a life of Freedom, Self respect and Pride.
RDL is empowering the research teams consisting of the faculty members who can in turn inspire the broad student community, so that these students to become research ambassadors contributing to our nation in the areas of cutting edge technology. RDL invites Students, Faculty to utilize this facility, support and visible light communication platform for Research and paper publication. This is a Startup India recognized RDL Technologies Pvt. Ltd., at Sahyadri Innovation Hub, at Sahyadri College of Engineering, Mangaluru. The cost of the VL Glasses once marketed will be around Rs 500.
The welcome address was delivered by Prof S S Balakrishna Shetty-Vice Principal, Sahyadri College; Devadas Hegde- Trustee of Sahyadri Institute also graced the occasion. The press meet was attended by large number of media persons.
