标题: A blind individual has driven a street vehicle [打印本页] 作者: fungyun 时间: 2011-2-5 14:03 标题: A blind individual has driven a street vehicle
Press Release.
January 29, 2011.
The National Federation of the Blind.
For the first time a blind individual has driven a street vehicle in public
without the assistance of a sighted person.
Mark Anthony Riccobono, a blind executive who directs technology, research,
and education programs for the organization, was behind the wheel of a Ford
Escape hybrid equipped with nonvisual technology and successfully navigated
1.5 miles of the road course section of the famed track at the Daytona
International Speedway.
The historic demonstration was part of pre-race activities leading up to the
Rolex 24 At Daytona this morning.
Mr. Riccobono not only successfully navigated the several turns of the road
course but also avoided obstacles, some of which were stationary and some of
which were thrown into his path at random from a van driving in front of
him. Later he successfully passed the van without collision.
The Ford Escape was equipped with laser range-finding censors that conveyed
information to a computer inside the vehicle, allowing it to create and
constantly update a three-dimensional map of the road environment.
The computer sent directions to vibrating gloves on the driver's hands,
indicating which way to steer, and to a vibrating strip on which he was
seated, indicating when to speed up, slow down, or stop.
