The proposed innovation is an inexpensive, visible light audio information transfer system (VLAITS) to transmit data to a personal audio receiver (PAR) that can be used to convey information to visually- impaired users. VLAITS is remarkably inexpensive because it requires no additional or special wiring other than that already typically installed for existing lighting fixtures. The network uses currently installed visible lighting, such as incandescent or fluorescent lighting, as the carrier medium for the data. The PAR receives information transmitted to a user over ambient room lighting and provides it to the user in audio form. The system varies the light output of lighting fixtures to transmit data at a sufficiently rapid rate that there is no perceptible visual flicker in light output. Data encoded in the lamp light is sent to a small personal audio receiver that presents audio information to visually impaired travelers, students or occupants of a building. The system will be developed in connection with visually-impaired users and will be evaluated and tested by these users to maximize its user friendliness and value.
A new inexpensive technology for communication of information of particular benefit to visually-impaired users will be developed, consisting of modified ballast transformers to modulate output of light fixtures and personal audio receivers (PAR) to allow the audio information to be presented to users. Commercial products will be the modified ballast transformers, the personal audio receivers and the design of the information transfer system.
