Collision Warning Device for Blind and Visually Impaired

Mass Eye and Ear

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hemianopsia; Hemianopia; Glaucoma; Retinitis Pigmentosa; Peripheral Visual Field Defect; Blindness

Treatments: Device: Collision warning device

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03057496

1007377

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates a novel collision warning device to help people with severe vision impairment or blindness avoid collisions with obstacles. The main hypothesis to be tested is that the device reduces the number of collisions with obstacles in everyday activities.

Full description

Participants with blindness or severe visual field loss (hemianopia or tunnel vision) will be trained to use a collision warning device that alerts them to impending collisions. Participants will use the device at home during everyday mobility for about 1 month. The device is designed to supplement existing mobility devices, such as a long cane or dog guide. The device will provide warnings about potential collisions with mid- or high-level obstacles (which are typically not detected by a long cane).

Enrollment: 49 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Blindness (or very limited vision with visual acuity no better than "counting fingers"),
• Or severe peripheral field loss / tunnel vision (≤ 40° remaining visual field) with visual acuity of at least 20/200,
• Or homonymous hemianopia with visual acuity of at least 20/200;
• Able to walk independently either with or without mobility aids such as a long cane or guide dog (but without the aid of a sighted guide);
• Reports at least minor bumps or collisions within the last 3 months;

Exclusion criteria

• Currently participating in a mobility training program
• Diagnosed dementia
• Significant cognitive decline
• Participants with hemianopia will be excluded if they have hemianopia for less than 3 months and/or have spatial neglect

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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49 participants in 1 patient group

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will use the collision warning device as much as possible for about one month during everyday activities, when walking indoors and outdoors.

Treatment:

Device: Collision warning device