Normann, Richard A.; Horch, Kenneth W.; Cha, Kichul
citation_title
Mobility performance with a pixelized vision system
citation_date
1992
Description
A visual prosthesis, based on electrical stimulation of the visual cortex, has been suggested as a means for partially restoring functional vision in the blind. The prosthesis would create a pixelized visual sense consisting of punctate spots of light (phosphenes). The present study investigated the feasibility of achieving visually-guided mobility with such a visual sense. Psychophysical experiments were conducted on normally sighted human subjects, who were required to walk through a maze which included a series of obstacles, while their visual input was restricted to information from a pixelized vision simulator. Walking speed and number of body contacts with obstacles and walls were measured as a function of pixel number, pixel spacing, object minification, and field of view. The results indicate that a 25 x 25 array of pixels distributed within the foveal visual area could provide useful visually guided mobility in environments not requiring a high degree of pattern recognition.
Type
text;
citation_publisher
Cambridge University Press
citation_volume
32
citation_issue
7
citation_firstpage
1367
Citation_lastpage
1372
citation_keywords
Visual Prosthesis; Mobility; Phosphene Simulator
Subject (MESH)
Vision; Visual Cortex; Prostheses and Implants; Electric Stimulation; Blindness
citation_language
eng;
Bibliographic Citation
Cha K, Horch KW, Normann RA. (1992). Mobility performance with a pixelized vision system. Vision Res, 32(7), 1367-72
