Personal Assistant for Visually Impaired People

A new handheld computer for outdoor navigation called PAVIP has been developed by assistive technology company Bones GmbH with two Swiss national blindness organizations.

PAVIP stands for “Personal Assistant for Visually Impaired People” and describes a system of portable user devices for visually impaired people with accompanying counterparts (electronic infrastructure equipment), with which the user may communicate and interact.
 
One of PAVIP’s uses is in the public arena, where navigation and communication with public transport were tested in November 2004. The navigation function of the PAVIP system will lead users from the train tracks to the departure point for the railcars. This navigation is made possible through the PAVIP user devices which will be temporarily supplied to interested parties for this test. PAVIP user devices also offer multiple interactions with public transport.
 
Another application is in the private arena, where the PAVIP user device can be used without additionally installed infrastructure equipment. One application in the private arena is the voice recorder Milestone 310. It has been developed by Bones GmbH in close cooperation with the Swiss National Association of and for the Blind (SNAB) to specifically meet the requirements of visually impaired people. The device is particularly targeted at users who value short access time, simplicity and reliability. Complex and rarely needed features and functions have deliberately been omitted. The voice recorder has been tested by visually impaired users in everyday situations and received outstanding ratings. Since December 2003, it has been sold as the recommended standard voice recording device by the SNAB in Switzerland.
 
The PAVIP system with the described functionality once introduced outside Switzerland could be a valuable contribution to increasing the autonomy of visually impaired people.
 
Source: Bones GmbH