Support is provided for a conference under the Committee on Vision of the Natural Research Council. The working group will survey the current state of vision research on aids for those with vision handicaps. The legally blind or those with substantial loss of vision may have a serious inability to move about in their normal environment, even when limited to activity within the home. The working group will summarize the current status of our knowledge about the dimensions of the mobility problem, the status of currently available technology, and an assessment of limitations and future potential of mobility aids. To assist the working group, a two-day workshop of invited experts also will be held, with the primary intent of promoting useful interaction between visual researchers and those who can apply this knowledge to manufacture effective, durable aids.
