Agoracom

From wearable technology to revolutionary rehabilitation, intelligent systems have come a long way indeed.

Some of these systems were demoed at the Canadian Conference on Intelligent Systems held in Windsor, Ont. recently.

Of particular interest were projects showcasing Canadian innovation in robotics – from robotic racing cars to tracking systems for spacecrafts.

Rehab Robot

And these projects aren't confined to the lab. Many can be put to very practical use to improve the way we live and work.

Wearable Technology

An example of such purposeful technology is the "tactile belt" – a "wearable sensory device" that could potentially serve as a guidance system for blind persons or those suffering from Alzheimer's. It was presented by University of Waterloo professor, John Zelek.

This belt allows you to navigate using only touch. There is no display on this device, as all information is conveyed via haptic technology.

"It's like Mapquest or Google Maps without using your eyes," says Zelek. "We've been working with the Canadian Institute for the Blind for a while now. Our goal was to design something marketable and relatively inexpensive."

The belt nudges you towards a destination using intermediate way-points and lets you "feel" how much further you have to go.

It does this by providing a vibration similar to that of a cell phone, Zelek said.

The belt also communicates wirelessly with cell phones and computers. Once a destination is entered, either by text or speech, it uses global positioning system (GPS) software and remote sensing technology to guide wearers.

This wearable tactile technology consists of a controller, which uses proprietary algorithms and hardware to fuse sensory information from a super-sensitive GPS, self-calibrating inertial sensors, an altimeter and a magnetometer to provide localization indoors and outdoors.

A Bluetooth interface supports use of another device – such as a cell phone – as a conduit to the Internet.

Its secondary application involves the use of sensors that operate much like the human balance system and serve as the "eyes" of the belt, enabling wearers to avoid obstacles as they make their way towards a destination.

While the initial prototype looks a bit like a weightlifter's belt, the device is being desinged to resemble a fashion belt -- with a controller no bigger than a cell phone. The technology is being marketed by a Guelph, Ont. start-up Tactile Sight Inc. that specializes in navigational aids.

"Initially it was for helping the blind. It's now being tested for Alzheimer patients to guide them home. It could also be used by the army or for hiking and hunting," says Zelek.

The belt would come in handy in any situation involving sensory overload, he says.

The device, says the University of Waterloo professor, may also have commercial applications in the automotive industry, such as helping drivers avoid potential collisions. Other vertical application growth markets include the military, automotive and recreational users – such as hikers, sailors and hunters.

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