Laser-equipped Virginia Tech dirt buggy can be driven by the blind

And you thought those self-driving whips in DARPA's Urban Challenge were hot stuff. As the mighty Hokies look to prove their dominance in the field of engineering, a student team from Virginia Tech has assembled what amounts to a vehicle that can actually be driven by blind individuals. In short, the specially equipped dirt buggy is outfitted with an array of laser range finders, an instant voice command interface and a few other related systems that enable drivers to respond to whatever the vehicle "sees." Best of all, the project is far beyond the drawing board, with a blind driver (Wes Majerus) already singing praises about the vehicle and deeming it a "liberating" experience. Regrettably, there's no information on what the team plans to do with the vehicle going forward, but we do know it hopes to pass along the same technology to more street-legal motorcars.

[Thanks, Trisha]

[Youfou @ Jul 18th 2009 6:34AM]

That's quite a good news to the blind

[James @ Jul 18th 2009 6:36AM]

And quite bad news to the deaf who cant hear this thing coming while being driven by a blind man.

[Dew @ Jul 18th 2009 6:48AM]

@James - lol

[vampritt @ Jul 18th 2009 8:48AM]

and soon our roads will be swarmed with blind drivers. yikes..

[Eric @ Jul 18th 2009 9:44AM]

@vampritt

Too late. It is already.

[seriousam7 @ Jul 18th 2009 6:35AM]

And you thought sharks were bad...

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jul 18th 2009 6:51AM]

No offense to anyone blind, but I don't think actually operating a moving vehicle is the best route for the future of blind transportation...best wait for self driving cars.

[Pre-determined @ Jul 18th 2009 7:02AM]

unless they have text to speech ...i also don't think you have to worry about offending.

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jul 18th 2009 7:15AM]

It matters not whether they read that I don't mean offense, but rather that I put it out there in the first place as a sign of respect for fellow humans.

[iwi @ Jul 18th 2009 8:02AM]

@predetermined: why do you "also don't think you have to worry about offending"? You think blind people can't read?

[Pre-determined @ Jul 18th 2009 9:28PM]

soapbox

pump your brakes you two...

worrying of offense, respect to one another, and Engadget comments are hardly synonymous around here. and quite frankly i think the blind want to be just treated equal and another "one of the guys".

/soapbox

[Brian @ Jul 18th 2009 7:01AM]

LOL

[Ahmed Alzayani @ Jul 18th 2009 7:04AM]

For a split second it thought it say Laser-equipped Vagina .

[B3astofthe3ast @ Jul 18th 2009 7:15AM]

Dear god, don't give them ideas!!!

[Pre-determined @ Jul 18th 2009 7:09AM]

this would give new meaning to riding in someone's blind spot...

[10minutehobo @ Jul 18th 2009 7:25AM]

It's a nice car, but the huge blind spot is a deal breaker.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 18th 2009 7:37AM]

They'd probably also be doing us all a favor by putting these in any car costing over 40,000.00 or so.

Rich people drive like the disabled.

[Jeffrey @ Jul 18th 2009 7:40AM]

Gobble Gobble bitches :)

[exNewt @ Jul 18th 2009 10:26AM]

That deaf, dumb and blind kid can't drive...

but he sure plays a mean pinball!

[sitruc @ Jul 18th 2009 9:52AM]

The resulting technologies and applications of this could be huge. Go Hokies!

[Shil @ Jul 18th 2009 10:22AM]

Just saw on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/Pilot-Go-Kart-Red_W0QQitemZ230358101089QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGo_Karts?hash=item35a269ac61&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A30

[Brian @ Jul 18th 2009 12:03PM]

Motorcyclists everywhere beware. I'd think that the lasers and voice would work at low speeds around a parking lot, but at highway speeds with lots of other cars.... It'd be hard to understand the constant, rapid flurry of warnings :P

[kizildere @ Jul 18th 2009 12:34PM]

Virginia Tech HOKIES!!!!! WE RULE!

[zorg @ Jul 18th 2009 12:49PM]

So, in other words, this is equivalent to any car in Arizona (or any state where the right of blind retirees to drive is only ever challenged by suicidal politicians).

[Asha @ Jul 18th 2009 2:01PM]

How about they just focus on making road worthy self driving cars? The people on the road already are frightening enough as it is.

[Michael Zupcak @ Jul 18th 2009 3:14PM]

...but can it stop a bullet?

[We Are Virginia Tech @ Jul 18th 2009 4:35PM]

You do realize that this school is full of real people who were affected by that and will never be the same. That for years every class that graduates will think of those who should have. What is joke material for you is all too real for many, many people.

Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi

[Slick @ Jul 19th 2009 12:50AM]

@ Micheal Zupcak

Or you could try not being a douche bag

[blah2545 @ Jul 18th 2009 4:28PM]

Yeah Tech!

[JohnPombrio @ Jul 18th 2009 8:36PM]

Didn't Whistler do this already in the movie "Sneakers"? And he was driving backwards!

[Slick @ Jul 19th 2009 12:48AM]

My School... My Department... On Engadget again.. baller

[William Winchester @ Jul 19th 2009 7:58AM]

Oh boy, you went to a third tier school. How exciting! You win a cookie.

[HektikLyfe @ Jul 21st 2009 2:28PM]

I thought this had already been done by Honda.