Restore sight to the blind thanks to the sounds: the software’s student Reggio Emilia – The Daily

You can allow a blind person to “see through sound”? A student Reggio 25 years if he is asked and is now working with an international team to make that idea become a reality. Irene Lanza , registered in Engineering Management at ‘ University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , is the soul, as well as the CEO, of SoundSight Training , a startup that wants to revolutionize the world, restoring sight to the blind through a technique that everyone could learn: echolocation. “It is a way to increase the sense of self within an environment by identifying items through hearing – ilfattoquotidiano.it explains to the young man, who is also councilor for Youth and Environment to Rio willow , near Reggio – It ‘a possibility that actually each person can develop with training. With our software we teach this technique, which could allow a blind person to move independently without danger. ” Using the same principle which is oriented a bat with ultrasound , the blind person through a microphone, headphones and a computer, gives an input (for example, a click of the tongue) and listening to the return of ‘eco based simulated environment within the software. “Blind people actually use already very hearing, for example beating stick or hands – continues Irene – this will only work out a new method to increase this capacity and can benefit from outside”.

The idea was born just over a year ago by a foreign experience of Irene, that thanks to ‘ University he studied Challenge Based Innovatio No CERN in Geneva, where together with students from all over the globe, has been tested with a team on the search for a technology solution for people not blind. Here Irene knew his future colleagues, Mark Missing , 37 year-old Italian doctor working at Cern, and Henrik Kjeldsen , German engineer of 37 years who lives in San Francisco, with which in February 2015 he began the path for the startup. Even twelve months and that intuition has become a software demonstration, which for now has been tested by three blind, Cecilia Camellini Formigine (already champion paralympic swimming) and Reggio Luca and Reverberi Matteo Severi . “We realized that it can work, because these people have shown interest and have realized the potential it could have for their echolocation” explains the CEO.

For now SoundSight Training is a virtual reality acoustic which simulates the interaction of sound with different places, all delivered through a simple computer, but the ultimate goal is to improve the lives of people who can not see, allowing them orient recognizing obstacles and environments. This calls for funding. On December 21, on the platform Kickstarter started the global campaign of crowdfunding: the aim is to collect 250 thousand euro to develop a prototype and make it accessible to everyone, so that everyone can exploit the interface and learn echolocation. “It ‘s just like learning to swim – adds the student – We are all ready to swim in the open sea, but first we have to begin to float in a swimming pool.” For his part, the team has already received the support of associations of the blind, and now the next step is to raise awareness among the able-bodied on the importance of the initiative. “The money we are asking for are so many, it’s true – concluded Irene – but if we can pick them up, from 2017, the software will be open source and open to all. And also all those who contribute to the funding, will be able to participate and compete with us on the decisions and the development of the project “.

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