Back to resultsComputer Vision System for the Blind Veteran
Primary Purpose
Blindness
Status
Completed
Phase
Phase 1
Locations
United States
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
initial system
modified system
Sponsored by
About this trial
This is an interventional supportive care trial for Blindness
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- age 18 and over
- legally blind
Exclusion Criteria:
- decreased hearing
- unable to understand or follow instructions
- inability to walk and stand for 10 minutes
Sites / Locations
- Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur
- Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm Type
Experimental
Experimental
Arm Label
Arm 1 initial system
Arm 2 modified system
Arm Description
8 blind subjects are asked to use a prototype computer vision system to determine the challenges facing computer vision based indoor navigation. Subjects are asked to travel through the hallways of a large hospital from the front entrance to a side entrance. The pathway consists of 9 segments including corners, four-way intersections, and doorways, and the total length of the route was approximately 200 meters. This challenging route was designed to stress the capabilities of the navigation system. It is a route that even sighted persons may find difficult to follow without practice. Pedestrian traffic was present throughout the route and lighting conditions could change in two of the segments where there were windows and doors.
The system is redesigned in response to problems identified from the first phase of the study. The redesigned system is tested by a second set of 8 blind subjects in the same indoor path as used in Arm 1.
Outcomes
Primary Outcome Measures
Frequency of Device Failures Per Attempt to Complete a Navigation Course
device failures were defined as any failure to provide correct location and direction information at thre appropriate time, resulting in a mistake that needed the initial prototype's ability to meet their travel needs at a good to excellent range.
Secondary Outcome Measures
Ability to Meet the Subjective Travel Needs of the Blind Subject
This is a subjective rating that incorporates user friendliness of the system and the specific needs of the subject. The subject is asked to rate whether the device meets his or her travel needs on a 1 to 7 scale with 1 being excellent and 7 being very poor.
Full Information
NCT ID
NCT00920231
First Posted
June 11, 2009
Last Updated
December 18, 2015
Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development
1. Study Identification
Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT00920231
Brief Title
Computer Vision System for the Blind Veteran
Official Title
Computer Vision System for the Blind Veteran
Study Type
Interventional
2. Study Status
Record Verification Date
December 2015
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
November 2011 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
December 2013 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
September 2015 (Actual)
3. Sponsor/Collaborators
Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development
4. Oversight
Data Monitoring Committee
No
5. Study Description
Brief Summary
This is a feasibility study involving a small number of blind subject to evaluate the effectiveness of using a software and associated hardware components to assist the blind in identifying and locating objects of interests and to assist in way finding tasks. After the system has been successfully tested by the blindfolded engineers, it will be evaluated in a small number of blind subjects.
Detailed Description
This is primarily an engineering project to develop computer vision algorithms for an integrated system comprising of a laptop computer, webcam, gps, digital compass, microphone, and stereo earphones. The system will be voice controlled. The algorithm will be trained to identify and located objects and navigationally landmarks in real-time, previously selected by sighted developers. After the system has passed objective engineering milestones, blind subjects will be tested to determine whether the novel system will improve the ability of the blind to travel over a test course in a hospital setting.
6. Conditions and Keywords
Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Blindness
7. Study Design
Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Study Phase
Phase 1
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Non-Randomized
Enrollment
16 (Actual)
8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions
Arm Title
Arm 1 initial system
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
8 blind subjects are asked to use a prototype computer vision system to determine the challenges facing computer vision based indoor navigation.
Subjects are asked to travel through the hallways of a large hospital from the front entrance to a side entrance. The pathway consists of 9 segments including corners, four-way intersections, and doorways, and the total length of the route was approximately 200 meters. This challenging route was designed to stress the capabilities of the navigation system. It is a route that even sighted persons may find difficult to follow without practice. Pedestrian traffic was present throughout the route and lighting conditions could change in two of the segments where there were windows and doors.
Arm Title
Arm 2 modified system
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
The system is redesigned in response to problems identified from the first phase of the study. The redesigned system is tested by a second set of 8 blind subjects in the same indoor path as used in Arm 1.
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
initial system
Intervention Description
The computer vision system is used to assist blind subject to navigate an extended path with multiple turns within a hospital setting.The initial prototype system would have been successfully tested for outdoor navigation and basic object recognition tasks.
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
modified system
Intervention Description
The problems associated with the initial system were identified and modified. This modified system was tested with a second separate group of subjects. The redesigned system is used to assist blind subject to navigate the same extended path with multiple turns within a hospital setting.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Frequency of Device Failures Per Attempt to Complete a Navigation Course
Description
device failures were defined as any failure to provide correct location and direction information at thre appropriate time, resulting in a mistake that needed the initial prototype's ability to meet their travel needs at a good to excellent range.
Time Frame
The subject is given as much time as needed to complete the task
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Ability to Meet the Subjective Travel Needs of the Blind Subject
Description
This is a subjective rating that incorporates user friendliness of the system and the specific needs of the subject. The subject is asked to rate whether the device meets his or her travel needs on a 1 to 7 scale with 1 being excellent and 7 being very poor.
Time Frame
no time limit
10. Eligibility
Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
80 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
age 18 and over
legally blind
Exclusion Criteria:
decreased hearing
unable to understand or follow instructions
inability to walk and stand for 10 minutes
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Cha-Min Tang, PhD MD
Organizational Affiliation
Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur
City
Decatur
State/Province
Georgia
ZIP/Postal Code
30033
Country
United States
Facility Name
Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
City
Baltimore
State/Province
Maryland
ZIP/Postal Code
21201
Country
United States
12. IPD Sharing Statement
Learn more about this trial
Computer Vision System for the Blind Veteran
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