Microsoft is developing an interesting new system the company believes could radically change the way visually impaired people navigate an urban environment. The new prototype technology doesn't have an official name yet, but Microsoft refers to it as 3D soundscape technology.
The assistive technology relies on three components: a smartphone, a bone conductive headset that rests over the user's ears (see image at top), and Bluetooth beacons placed throughout the city or suburb. As the blind person walks around, the headset provides a clicking noise that guides the user in the right direction and not, say, veering off the curb and onto the street. The beacons generate the directional information for the clicks.
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