Researchers have developed a hat that will guide visually impaired users
Kyiv • UNN
Researchers have developed a smart hat that can guide visually impaired users by detecting a red or green traffic light using an optoelectronic sensor.
A new step in the development of smart clothing has been taken by a team of researchers from Singapore and China, who have presented special threads for clothing with electronic functions - the so-called wearables. Productive production is planned. One striking example is a smart hat that will help visually impaired users recognize red or green traffic lights.
This is stated in the material of Nature, reports UNN.
Details
An international team of scientists from Singapore and China is working on smart clothing, such as a sweater with screens or pants with surveillance technology. The team reportedly took a new step by improving the process of producing threads with electronic functions for clothing. These are the so-called wearables.
Up until a certain point, there was an obstacle that concerned the difficulty of embedding electronics in fabrics, as semiconductors such as silicon and germanium, which are important for such applications, tend to crack during the manufacturing process.
A team led by Lei Wei from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore analyzed the process. According to the developers, the filaments could now be produced with much higher productivity and very good quality.
Using the newly discovered method, the team made a hat out of fiber. With the help of an optoelectronic sensor, the hat can detect whether a traffic light is red or green for pedestrians. As an example, the hat reportedly uses a vibrating signal to inform a visually impaired user whether it is safe to cross the road or not.
Another interesting example is the transformation of fiber into a strap for a smartwatch that adapts to the surface of the skin and measures heart rate. Since the produced fiber can withstand the pressure prevailing at a depth of 3,000 meters, it can also be used for underwater applications.
Recall
Elon Musk's startup Neuralink has successfully implanted its first brain chip in a patient. The patient is currently recovering well and demonstrating encouraging brain activity.
Also, UNN reported that for the first time in Europe, ESA presented an innovative installation for propelling small satellites.
