JP2933023B2 - Landscape image input and tactile output device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a landscape image input and tactile output device, and more particularly to a landscape image input and a tactile recognizable output of a landscape image as an aid for a blind person to grasp the surrounding situation in real time. The present invention relates to a landscape image input and tactile output device for converting into a landscape image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a person with a low vision or a blind person grasps the situation in the vicinity of himself, he must rely on hearing and touch. When relying on hearing, sound-based navigation is convenient and useful, but it requires the help of a third party to quickly recognize the situation in which one is located. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, voice assist systems and the like have been well-known as sound assisting devices, and their usefulness is well known. However, these are large-scale systems and can be used only in districts and buildings where they are introduced. Also, if you rely on tactile sensation, you can recognize the reach of yourself, but you cannot reach objects beyond that distance,
It is difficult to grasp, in real time, a global near view such as a positional relationship.

[0003]

The prior art has the drawback that the place of use is limited and that it is difficult to recognize distant objects and the like that are out of reach of the blind.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a landscape image input and tactile output device which receives an image signal from an image capturing camera and receives an output signal of the image memory circuit through a movable contact. A first switch that switches to a first fixed contact or a second fixed contact; and a moving object is removed based on a signal supplied from the first fixed contact of the first switch, and image information of only a stationary object is obtained. An adding circuit for outputting, a recognition circuit for extracting a feature of an image from a signal supplied from a first fixed contact of the first switch or a signal supplied from the adding circuit, and driving an output signal of the recognition circuit A drive signal conversion circuit that converts the signal into a signal, and a tactile display unit that changes a state of a display surface that displays the characteristics of the image based on the drive signal.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a landscape image input and tactile output device according to the first aspect, wherein the tactile display section changes the height of a plurality of projections to display the characteristics of the image.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a landscape image input and tactile output device according to the first aspect, wherein the tactile display section has a plurality of divided flat electrodes and a minute current value which can flow out of each of the flat electrodes. Is changed in accordance with the characteristics of the image.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a landscape image input and tactile output device according to the first aspect, wherein a moving image capturing timing circuit or a still image capturing timing circuit is inserted between the imaging camera and the image memory circuit. .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a landscape image input and tactile output device, a camera for capturing a landscape and a timing switching switch for switching a digital signal output from the camera to a moving image input timing circuit and a still image input timing circuit.
(Switch), an image memory circuit for storing digital signals transmitted at each timing and outputting an image, an adding circuit for removing a moving object from the image and outputting a processed image, and an adding circuit for controlling the moving object removal A switch SW, a recognition circuit for extracting a feature such as a differential value of a scene from the processed image and outputting a feature extracted image, a drive signal conversion circuit for converting the feature extracted image into a drive signal, and a tactile display unit from the drive signal. It is configured to include a display drive unit for driving and a tactile display unit for displaying features (colors, feature strengths) such as differential values that are actually extracted in an uneven manner so as to be touched.

[0009]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. The landscape image input and tactile output device shown in FIG. 1 includes a camera 1 that captures a landscape a, and a timing switch for switching a digital signal b output from the camera 1 to a moving image input timing circuit 3 and a still image input timing circuit 4. An image memory circuit 5 for storing an SW (switch) and a digital signal b transmitted at each timing and outputting an image c; an adding circuit 7 for removing a moving object from the image c and outputting a processed image d; An addition circuit switching SW6 for controlling the removal, a recognition circuit 8 for extracting a feature such as a differential value of a scene from the processed image d and outputting a feature extracted image e, and a drive signal for converting the feature extracted image e into a drive signal f Conversion circuit 9
And a display drive unit 10 for driving the tactile display unit 11 from the drive signal f, and a tactile display for displaying features (colors, feature intensities) such as differential values actually extracted in an uneven manner so as to be touched. A section 11 is provided.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the adder circuit switching SW 6 and the adder circuit 7.
The image shown in FIG. 2A stored in the image memory circuit 5 is divided into a case where the addition circuit switching SW 6 processes the image FIG. When the processing is not performed, the image in FIG. 2A is output to the recognition circuit 8 as it is as the image in FIG. 2B. As a result, the amount of people around
04 and the traffic volume can be grasped. Also,
When the processing is performed by the addition circuit 7, the image circuit (a) of FIG. 2 sequentially transmitted is integrated by the addition circuit 7, and the image diagram (c) of FIG. Is output to Thus, a stationary object such as the mountain 101 (or building) can be stably detected, and the positional relationship between the mountain (or building) and the like can be grasped.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are views for explaining the operation of the tactile display section 11. FIG. The feature extraction image e output from the recognition circuit 8 is an image obtained by dividing a region by a differential value and a color, and the boundary of the region is always set to the maximum value so as to be easily understood by touch. FIG. 3A shows an example of the feature extraction image e, which is the sky 100, the mountain 101, the road 102, and the field 103.
Is a state where the region is divided. As shown in FIG. 3B, the needle of the tactile display unit 11 can be changed in height in eight steps by a drive signal f applied to the display drive unit 10. The height is the same as the contour height of the part. Thus, the heights can be compared, and the boundary of a stationary object or the like can be recognized.

[0013]

According to the present invention, only a global feature using a differential value or the like is extracted from an image input from a camera, and is converted into a tactile expression that can be touched and understood by a person. This has the effect of allowing the situation around the place where is present to be understood globally without directly touching them.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining the operation of the adder circuit shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the tactile display section shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera 2 Timing switching SW 3 Moving image capturing timing circuit 4 Still image capturing timing circuit 5 Image memory circuit 6 Addition circuit switching SW 7 Addition circuit 8 Recognition circuit 9 Drive signal conversion circuit 10 Display drive unit 11 Tactile display unit a Scenery b Digital Signal c image d processed image e feature extraction image f drive signal g display

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image memory circuit for storing an image signal from an image camera, a first switch for receiving an output signal of the image memory circuit at a movable contact and switching to a first fixed contact or a second fixed contact, An adder circuit for removing a moving object based on a signal supplied from a first fixed contact of the first switch and outputting image information of only a stationary object, and supplying the image information from the first fixed contact of the first switch A recognition circuit for extracting a feature of an image from the received signal or the signal supplied from the addition circuit, a drive signal conversion circuit for converting an output signal of the recognition circuit into a drive signal, and a drive signal conversion circuit for converting the image based on the drive signal. A tactile display unit for changing a state of a display surface for displaying a feature. 2. The scene image input and tactile output device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile display unit changes the height of the plurality of projections to display the feature of the image. 3. The scene image according to claim 1, wherein the tactile display unit has a plurality of divided plane electrodes, and a minute current value that can flow out of each of the plane electrodes is changed in accordance with a feature of the image. Input and tactile output devices. 4. The scene image input and tactile output device according to claim 1, wherein a moving image capturing timing circuit or a still image capturing timing circuit is inserted between the imaging camera and the image memory circuit. 5. A camera that captures a scene, a digital signal output from the camera, a timing switch SW for switching between a moving image input timing circuit and a still image input timing circuit, and a digital signal transmitted at each timing. An image memory circuit for storing and outputting an image,
An addition circuit that removes a moving object from the image and outputs a processed image; an addition circuit switching SW that controls removal of the moving object; and a recognition circuit that extracts a feature such as a differential value of a scene from the processed image and outputs a feature extracted image. A drive signal conversion circuit for converting a feature extraction image into a drive signal, a display drive unit for driving a tactile display unit from the drive signal, and a feature (color, feature strength) such as a differential value actually extracted. A tactile display unit for displaying a landscape image so as to be able to be touched with a tactile display unit.