NFB Blind Driver Challenge Video

TORC ( http://www.torctech.com/products/bywire-xgv-drive-wire-ground-vehicle-platform ) is proud to have been a part of the NFB Blind Driver Challenge(tm) team with NFB and Virginia Tech's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa).

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Blind Man Drives Car Independently

Baltimore, Maryland (January 29, 2011): The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the nation, announced today that 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.
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Read the full news release and get more information at:
http://www.digitalnewsrelease.com/?q=nfb_daytona


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To learn more about the organizations involved, visit:

NFB - http://www.nfb.org/nfb/NFB_Blind_Driver_Challenge.asp
RoMeLa - http://www.romela.org
TORC - http://www.torctech.com

http://www.torctech.com/media/blind-driver-challenge/


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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• blind driver challenge
• nfb blind driver challenge
• blind driver
• romela blind driver challenge
• dr. dennis hong
• torc
• robotics

[TORCtechnologies]

@catred33 - please remember, this project is meant to move technology forward and encourage the research and development of new, nonvisual interfaces for the blind - not to put anybody in danger.

[mattbmx1234]

Beautiful.

[yourallbrainwashed]

awesome!!!

[Bryan198026]

I've been blind all my life and I frankly don't believe this. I have a hard time believing that the vibrating seat and gloves aren't just for show and that the car wasn't actually being controlled remotely from a lab. And even if it's true the question does bear asking. What if a blind person hits a kid? You think the sighted community is going to take their own behavior into account? Certainly not. They'll start pushing to get us off the road again.

[Lifeisgood404]

I bet he wish he could see their reactions.

[TheWesman45]

@catred33 being legally blind this offends me greatly. YOU too could anyone not just a child. but still this is the first thing people blurt what if u hit a kid. if we are given the opertuninty to drive i know im going to.

[BIRDANGAL]

THANK YOU NFB YOU WARE HARD ON ME BUT YOU HLEP ME IN SO MANEY WAYS FOR ME TO BE IN THIS WORLD I CAN SEE IT NOW I WILL BE ABAL TO DRIVE SOME DAY:)

[catgivens]

Blindness is an obstacle, not a stopper. BRAVO!

[Iwillbeanhero]

@catred33

Lindsay Lohan does that all the time, as do hundreds of sighted drivers.

This is an amazing step towards a better future. Can't wait until these things are mass produced!

[catred33]

What about when you hit a kid? This is the bigest crap i ever see!