“This idea stemmed from an experience with a family friend who had a visual impairment,” Gay said.
From there, she came up with a design and developed a series of prototypes. Similar to safety technology used in cars, Gay’s electronic visor is lined with LiDAR that can detect when objects are close or far away from the user.
“Those sensors are replicating human vision,” she said.
The device then uses haptic feedback — like the tactile vibrations on your smartphone — around the brim of the headset.
“So if someone is getting close to an obstacle, it will start to vibrate in that region of their head,” Gay said.
It may seem like a simple idea, but Gay’s invention has landed her a box full of national and international awards.
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