Talks to Watch

See in complete darkness with touch

6.1M views · Jun 20, 2020 · 14:13 · 1 HN recommender · 3 mentions · discussed 2020–2023

Stuff Made Here builds a device that lets a blind person perceive their surroundings by touch, using an iPad's lidar and a mechanical tactile display driven by motors. The video walks through the build and the limits he hit.

Why Hacker News points people here: HN admires the maker's engineering and cites it in accessibility discussions, especially for the limits of sensory resolution versus perception.

“'Stuff Made Here' made a 12-point display using two motors.”HN comment, 2023

What Hacker News said 3

Strongly recommendssambronerJul 2020

“This guy is a legend. Awesome videos.”

iPad lidar to braille converter that was really impressive.

Full comment

This guy is a legend. Awesome videos. A few of them seem productizable in a way most DIY-er videos don't, albeit in a limited run capacity. He made a iPad lidar to "braille" converter that was really impressive, and I'm hopeful someone picks up the work. this video

in “I made a robot to cut my hair with scissors [video]” · view on HN
Cites itopen-parenApr 2022

“The problem he ran into was sensory resolution vs. ability to perceive that resolution.”

Device hit limits of sensory resolution versus ability to perceive it.

Full comment

There was a Youtuber that made a device like this with the lidar from an iPad and a 3x3 grid of dots to detect obstacles. The problem he ran into was sensory resolution vs. ability to perceive that resolution. (Unsurpisingly) your eyes are unparalleled for picking up visual resolution. this video

in “A naked skydive inspired a way to keep pilots oriented in flight” · view on HN
Cites itryankrage77Jan 2023

“'Stuff Made Here' made a 12-point display using two motors.”

12-point display driven by two motors.

Full comment

Would it be possible to use fewer motors to control more pins? 'Stuff Made Here' made a 12-point display using two motors. this video

in “Ask HN: Alternatives to Scratch for a blind child?” · view on HN