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The blind can drive at Virginia Tech

examiner.com — This story begins in 2006, when the Blind Driver's Challenge was initiated at Virginia Tech University in response to a proposal made by the Jernigan Institute, a part of the National Federation of the Blind. This month, members of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory have made previously impossible dream possible.

Who dugg this? Made popular Jul 17, 2009

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42 Comments

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  • pointsguy, on 07/17/2009, -5/+28The blind have always been driving. They're called women.
  • alexhud, on 07/17/2009, -6/+22I lost 2 of my friends because of a blind driver at Virginia Tech
  • allothersnsused, on 07/17/2009, -2/+14***** you*
  • fleischkopf, on 07/17/2009, -5/+16Note to self: Stay away from Virginia Tech.
  • lolwatermelon, on 07/17/2009, -1/+11V-Tech just kicked in, yo.
  • ummmmmmmmmm, on 07/17/2009, -1/+6ouch
  • Telionis, on 07/17/2009, -1/+4Especially if you are an opposing football team... muhahahaha... Go Hokies!!!
  • drunkenvthokie, on 07/17/2009, -3/+6Wow, you're funny... way to look like a jack@ss! You know cause mass murders are pretty comical.
  • Black6x, on 07/17/2009, -0/+3I hope blind people at other colleges don't see this article.
  • kbillar, on 07/17/2009, -1/+3Finally, a use for Braille on drive through ATM machines.
  • inactive, on 07/17/2009, -0/+2Al Pacino > you.
  • 13373h4X0r, on 07/17/2009, -0/+2I've always wanted to close my eyes while driving and just rely on the verbal directions of a GPS-based navigation system.

    "Turn left now..." [sounds of distant screaming, screeching tires, car crashes, and explosions] "Turn right now..." [sounds of smashing and running over people] "Go straight 5 miles..." [sounds of police sirens and helicopters...] "You have arrived!" [multiple-vehicular-manslaughter trial begins, and the YouTube video of the century gets 1 billion views in a single day... book deal ensues...]
  • stuffradio, on 07/17/2009, -1/+3Seriously, I got rear-ended by a woman... if you know what I mean :)
  • zerophewl, on 07/17/2009, -1/+3It seems a bit irresponsible to me, but hey, if it works more power to them.
  • Irco, on 07/17/2009, -0/+2uhm i wish there was more information about the feedback system as far as how it handles moving obstacles and how responsive and accurate the driver has to be...this is a cool idea nonetheless
  • Nubli, on 07/17/2009, -0/+2Reminds me of the blind guy who went around the Top Gear track in 2004.
  • kevin11atvt, on 07/17/2009, -0/+2Hahahahah i lived 20 feet away from where they parked this sucker, had no idea what it was for. thats pretty cool, go VT!!
  • pinchduck, on 07/17/2009, -0/+2The blind can drive anywhere. They're just more likely to do so successfully and safely in this program at V-Tech.
  • Nubli, on 07/17/2009, -2/+4Amazing.
  • Irco, on 07/20/2009, -0/+1and im sure plenty of people thought there was no way a pacemaker would ever work and how awful the idea sounded. If technology proved something over the last few decades is that it can overcome as many obstacles as you throw at it....think a little before shouting.
  • xsecretfiles, on 07/17/2009, -2/+3Too soon bro
  • redfred18t, on 07/17/2009, -0/+1***** you, 2 of my friends died because of that meme.
  • Bobcat7, on 07/17/2009, -1/+1One of our branch offices is on the VT campus and this explains some of the drivers I've seen there. I think they might want to work on the pedestrian problem now, yeah you might have the right of way on campus, but the next time one of those guys step out in front of me, he's going to be the rightest guy in the morgue. It is a rental for me after all.
  • Iceman21, on 07/17/2009, -0/+0I'm glad microsoft realized riddles and brain teasers are a stupid thing to have at a job interview.
  • protogenxl, on 07/17/2009, -1/+1Thanks a lot Virginia Tech you just validated one of those stupid and pointless Job Interview 2.0 questions.


    http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/Riddle-Me-An-Inter ...
  • inactive, on 07/17/2009, -2/+2mhhm.. i dont know how i feel about this.
  • santixx, on 07/17/2009, -1/+1I don't see what could go wrong.
  • PterionFracture, on 07/17/2009, -3/+3How does Helen Keller drive?

    With one hand on the wheel and one hand one the road!
  • kevin11atvt, on 07/17/2009, -0/+0HELL YEAH!
  • RealmDown, on 07/17/2009, -2/+2Those "blind drive" signs make more sense now....
  • blinktude, on 07/17/2009, -2/+1how is this any different then a woman driving?
  • Iceman21, on 07/17/2009, -2/+1This is a cool idea? really?
    This is a ***** awful idea, i suppose you would feel safe with a blind person piloting a jumbo jet too?
    Nothing, and i mean nothing, no technology whatsoever, can match human sight perception, awareness and anticipation.
  • chooochooo, on 07/17/2009, -4/+3Wow, that's awesome! What a great opportunity! I can't believe that technology has come such a long way, it's utterly unbelievable!
    Thanks for the article!
  • inactive, on 07/17/2009, -3/+2http://www.owned.lv/imgz/ce491096f57be60ca65498646 ...
  • Rudegar, on 07/17/2009, -9/+7best part is that blind people fail at school shootings
  • phoenixman2007, on 07/17/2009, -2/+0nice.
    thanks for the article
    http://www.gmstop.com/jocuri/600/Hell-Cops.html
  • Iceman21, on 07/17/2009, -3/+1F.A.I.L

    This is going to end badly, no way in hell can technology compensate for decent sight, this will only cause chaos as road users will be precarious of blind drivers.
    What happens when a dog runs out in the road, or a small child, and the laser sensors do not pick it up?

    I would not trust three tons of steel being driven by someone who is void of their primary perception, they will run over and run into anything that the computer does not tell them about, causing a massacre of wildlife and tiny kids, not to mention the death toll when one of the gadgets fails and obstacles in front of the car are not perceived, i know a person who can see is equally able to cause a catastrophe without being visually impaired but this is a very bad idea.
  • mdjohnson1, on 07/17/2009, -8/+5Headline 2: Car Drives Self at Virginia Tech with Blind Person Inside.
    Headline 3: Person Follows Instructions In Car At Virginia Tech
    Headline 4: Impossible Dream Is Possible ... Digg User Gets Date At Virginia Tech
    Headline 5: Car Accidents Likely To Skyrocket At Virginia Tech
  • PleasantKiller, on 07/17/2009, -4/+1thats crazy
  • Salinator, on 07/17/2009, -9/+1In before somebody 'goes there'
  • Twitchzor, on 07/17/2009, -13/+2***** you, two of my friends died at V-Tech!
  • appleseed1234, on 07/17/2009, -13/+2Maybe Cho was pissed that even the blind could drive better than asians.

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