www.ted.com Using robotics, laser rangefinders, GPS and smart feedback tools, Dennis Hong is building a car for drivers who are blind. It’s not a “self-driving” car, he’s careful to note, but a car in which a non-sighted driver can determine speed, proximity and route — and drive independently.TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the “Sixth Sense” wearable tech, and “Lost” producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http
Video Rating: 4 / 5
#1 by geocachespoilers on February 20, 2012 - 5:06 pm
good stuff
#2 by zaneacademy on February 20, 2012 - 5:29 pm
not sure about the practicality in a high and aggressive traffic city environment… . the spinoff technologies might be where the real value of this invention is…
#3 by lizwilson51 on February 20, 2012 - 6:15 pm
That was awesome! I was tearing up just imagining how that driver on the racetrack must have felt behind the wheel. There are a lot of realists who have commented with valid concerns, which Mr. Hong also mentions. The beautiful thing is that regardless of whether all blind people can someday drive cars safely or not, this technology has so many implications for other practical uses, and most importantly challenges society’s perception of those with disabilities from “CAN’T” to “CAN.”
#4 by aarongrooves on February 20, 2012 - 6:46 pm
Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.
#5 by tVKrippen on February 20, 2012 - 6:50 pm
so after this is all said and done, blind people will be better drivers than women
#6 by Bryan198026 on February 20, 2012 - 7:05 pm
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been blind my whole life and I don’t see this as being remotely feasible, for exactly the reasons you all have outlined, plus it’s bound to be way too expensive for the average blind schmoe, even one lucky enough to be employed, to afford. And it’s difficult enough to get financial help to get everyday assistive tech, much less this thing. Even if it’s proven possible it probably won’t take off simply for that reason.
#7 by mintbear82 on February 20, 2012 - 7:06 pm
This is amazing, but I wonder what the insurance would be like for a blind individual driving a car?
#8 by Robikus on February 20, 2012 - 7:53 pm
Asians build cars for the blind? What could go wrong?
#9 by Geoshi on February 20, 2012 - 8:10 pm
I like his dream, but I feel it will remain as one until further down the road, no pun intended. His other idea’s such as the classroom he mentioned at the end, that I could see as a reality.
#10 by ElizabethMarsden on February 20, 2012 - 8:13 pm
Its awesome, is a something who can make their lifes better…
#11 by beerndumplings on February 20, 2012 - 8:35 pm
that’s a good point but, is the rate at which one drives the significant factor of one’s ability to drive? i don’t think so because, it’s the rate at which one interprets and reacts to an input that is the chief determinant of one’s ability to drive. for instance, Driver A, a blind driver: 3 seconds to process input from the road before executing a driving maneuver, Driver B, a non-blind driver: .7 seconds. IF(big if) Driver A + process rate=>can drive like Driver B: is miles/hour >output/input?
#12 by 229139 on February 20, 2012 - 8:54 pm
@beerndumplings That’s because they would all be doing 27 mph, at 75 mph you are moving at 110 feet per second far to fast to have something interpreting the road before you can even make a decision on what to do.
#13 by angela3017 on February 20, 2012 - 9:14 pm
His dream is not economically feasible, nor safe since it depends on the reaction time of the driver, and the feedback mechanism is minimal. A driver needs to know more things about the road than what he proposes. An autonomous car seems more reasonable ……
#14 by TheTrueRandomness on February 20, 2012 - 9:32 pm
The new Daredevil mobile?
#15 by divinegod102 on February 20, 2012 - 9:35 pm
@rhomeaforever Placing human on the moon was once deemed to be an impossible feat.
#16 by dhebert111 on February 20, 2012 - 9:43 pm
This is how Technology should be used, to better society and imrpove the quality of life for all human beings.
Not for war.
Dr. Hong is a true Hero.
#17 by thznt on February 20, 2012 - 9:48 pm
Hong appears on 6:55 with a Golimar’s Jacket =D
#18 by PopeSnowball on February 20, 2012 - 10:31 pm
@jonathanbluestein I still think it is promising.
#19 by Daudex on February 20, 2012 - 11:18 pm
This is so amazing Dr Hong you’re my role mode
#20 by beerndumplings on February 20, 2012 - 11:48 pm
@jonathanbluestein I would be willing to bet that a city with only visually impaired drivers would be more efficient and have less accidents than a city with people who have normal vision. Tell your dead person that he was more likely to be killed by a “normal driver” in a “normal car.” This idea is still a work in progress and is, in my opinion, a great idea.
#21 by jonathanbluestein on February 21, 2012 - 12:35 am
It’s all fun and nice until someone gets killed. Who do you blame then? The blind person? The car company? The people who invented this system?… I’ll tell you’ll one thing – for the dead person, it’s not going to matter much. Novel idea, but flawed from the onset.
#22 by ThringtonBennet on February 21, 2012 - 12:41 am
Wait…google are making a car that can drive itself…why don’t you stop working now and just help with that
#23 by AmethystEyes on February 21, 2012 - 1:22 am
@rhomeaforever maybe if the car can visually detect it or identify it. But when I saw this I was thinking the same thing. There are so many variables. But there going to test it a multitude of times. It’s worth a try.