This is a device, shaped like a regular torch(flashlight). Instead of a bulb, the front portion of the device contains a digital camera. When the operator presses a button on the device, the camera will start to take pictures and feed them to some image processing software. The results of this processing are sent to a voice synthesiser and played via an internal speaker or headphone socket.
In it's simplest form the image processing would recognise colours. Point it at the sky and the device would say, "Blue" or "Grey" or may give more detailed information like "Blue Intensity 77, Green intensity 6"
Further enhancement would allow description of object colour, size and position, possible simple shape recognition (Square, Circle, Triangle etc) The ultimate aim would be to add OCR capability, so that the user could point the device at signs and the machine would read them back. Size of objects could be calculated by knowing the focal length of the camera and using autofocus technology to estimate distance.
I think this could be a useful device for many blind people.
"Red. Rectangle. 1.5 meters by 2 meters. 2 meters ahead. Small Gold Rectangle in center 5cm by 20cm. Number in upper centre. Reading.... 42".
Ah! I'm home!!!-- Minimal, Feb 15 2006 [marked–for-deletion] redundant Reality_20Description_20Service [DrCurry, Feb 15 2006] (?) Colour Description Device http://www.brytech....lorteller/index.htmTells visually impaired people what colour a thing is. [oneoffdave, Feb 16 2006] the vOICe http://www.seeingwithsound.com/ [chud, Feb 16 2006] I'm afraid this has been posted before, albeit with little explanation.-- DrCurry, Feb 15 2006 Hmph! I missed that one! Although mine uses automated recognition, wheras the previously posted idea uses human description. I'll leave the decision to the umpires......-- Minimal, Feb 15 2006 By the time it finished talking, I'd get hit by the car.-- notmarkflynn, Feb 16 2006 Baked [link], though with coded noise rather than spoken language.-- chud, Feb 16 2006 shape...octagon ....primary color.....red ......message reads.....S....T....O....P CRASH!-- Arcanus, Jul 20 2009 hmm... [+]-- FlyingToaster, Jul 21 2009 I dispute DrC's mfd - this idea is substantially different. I also think it's a good idea. As Minimal has pointed out, it could simple give a very basic description of areas and colours, or could perform more advanced image recognition as technology permits.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 21 2009 random, halfbakery