What are the special glasses for the visually impaired called? Electronic glasses for the blind. How do electronic glasses work?

According to the Today portal, steel and plastic will soon give way to new revolutionary materials - water-repellent, heat-proof and fantastically durable.

Material revolution. With the help of chemistry and nanotechnology, scientists will soon retire metal, plastic and wood

Clothes that don't get dirty and therefore don't need to be washed regularly, a frying pan, a surface that really never sticks, tanks for rocket fuel, to which its aggressive components do not stick - all this will soon become possible thanks to the discovery of American scientists, which has become one of the loudest scientific sensations of the past year.

A group of chemists led by Garrett McKinley from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed an ultra-thin network of polymer fibers intertwined in a special way. This network can be applied to any surface and make it non-wettable for any liquids.

At a press conference to announce the discovery, scientists coated a goose feather with the chemical compound and demonstrated how it then began to repel pentane, the lightest liquid hydrocarbon. The choice of such an exotic liquid was not accidental - many known materials can repel water. For example, goose feathers themselves, which gave rise to the proverb “like water off a duck’s back.” At the same time, simple organic substances that make up, for example, gasoline or kerosene, can effectively wet almost any surface, even the legendary Teflon.

During the experiments, it was found that its geometry, associated with the action of capillary forces, also plays a certain role in the ability of a surface to contact water, explains McKinley. Therefore, the essence of the new technology is that with the help of a microscopic polymer mesh the surface is given a certain texture - a pattern of dimples and tubercles. By correctly selecting the angles at which water moves between these “roughnesses” of the surface, scientists have ensured that small islands of air under the layer of liquid are always preserved in the texture. In other words, conditions are created under which capillary forces do not allow the liquid to completely wet the surface.

The technique was tested on silicon wafers used in microelectronics. The scientists then set about creating a coating that could be applied to any surface. Its main element is polymethyl methacrylate threads and multifaceted molecules of fluorinated organic compounds, the desired structure of which is created by electrostatic twisting.

According to research leader Garrett McKinley, the invention could be used to protect the walls of jet engine fuel tanks from harmful effects aggressive fuel components. This will significantly extend the life of fuel tanks and reduce aircraft operating costs. However, the development will be more noticeably used in another area - much closer to to a simple consumer. According to the developers, clothes covered with a polymer network will be very difficult to get dirty and very easy to wash.

According to experts, the invention of American scientists occupies a worthy place in the list of unique materials that will soon become firmly established in everyday use, along with other revolutionary developments of recent years - carbon nanotubes, aerogels, metal foam and “smart” fabrics.

AIRGEL: TRANSPARENT HARDNESS

Super strength. 2.5 g of airgel can withstand a brick weighing 2.5 kg

Another material of the future that can be touched today is airgel. This is a gel-based substance in which the liquid components are completely replaced by gas. As a result, at record low densities, aerogels have unique combination properties - high strength, heat resistance and transparency. Scientists often call this unique material “frozen.” cigarette smoke" - this is approximately the impression it gives when light passes through it.

The honor of inventing a material that will change the future of humanity belongs to the American chemist Stephen Kistler and College in Stockton, California. Back in 1931, he first tried to replace the liquid in the gel with methanol gas, and then heat the gel to the critical temperature of the gas - 240 degrees Celsius. As a result, methanol left the gel without decreasing in volume, and the gel itself “dried out” without practically shrinking.

The airgel of today's sample is a porous material in which cavities occupy about 90-99%. The airgel structure is a tree-like network of nanoparticles no larger than 5 nm in size. The most common today are developments based on amorphous silicon dioxide, as well as chromium and tin oxides. In the 1990s, scientists managed to obtain the first carbon-based samples.

The most advanced are quartz aerogels, which are 500 times less dense than water and 1.5 times less dense than air. The airgel can withstand a load of 2000 times its own weight. In some experiments, a piece of airgel weighing only 2.5 grams supported the weight of a brick weighing 2.5 kg.

Quartz aerogels transmit sunlight, but retain heat. In the USA they have already begun to be used in construction as heat-insulating materials.

CARBON NANOTUBES: STRONGER THAN EVER

Carbon nanotubes are the world's strongest material

In 1996, American scientists Robert Curl, Harold Crotto and Richard Smelley received Nobel Prize in chemistry for the discovery of fullerenes - molecular compounds that are polyhedra of carbon atoms, which can serve as the basis for creating the world's strongest material. We are talking about the legendary carbon nanotubes - an old dream of science fiction writers and futurologists.

Carbon nanotubes are cylindrical structures of folded graphene planes that have unique characteristics. It is the toughest and most durable material in the world with high electronic characteristics.

He owes his strength to covalent bonds between individual carbon atoms. In 2000, experiments revealed that the tensile strength of a carbon nanotube was 63 gigapascals. This is tens of thousands of times more than the best varieties high carbon steel.

Carbon nanotubes can be used almost anywhere metals are used today. This could be clothing, sports equipment, body armor, space equipment, and electronic circuit components. According to experts, by 2015 the market volume in this industry will be $2.5 billion.

Some scientists warn that nanotubes may pose a health threat, in particular, experiments with laboratory mice have shown that carbon nanotubes can produce an effect on the body similar to that produced by asbestos. The consequence of this exposure can be cancer.

E-FABRIC: COVER YOURSELF WITH COMPUTERS

Cloth. The image on the T-shirt depends on the person’s mood

Why carry electronic gadgets that can be lost or broken when you can simply carry computers on yourself? Developments in the field of creating electronic fabric already look so promising today that, according to many analysts, by 2020 such clothing will become everyday wear.

Her distinctive feature It will be possible to continuously play a static image or video. The same T-shirt can, depending on a person’s mood, show an image of a starry sky or a tropical landscape. True, it can be assumed that absolute freedom of choice of images on clothing can lead to public outrage, so the range of images will have to be regulated by law. About the same as the content of television these days.

The first samples of such fabric were created several years ago. In 2006, sales of “smart” tracksuits started by Spyder. They have become smarter thanks to ElekTex electronic fabric inserts from the British company Eleksen. The fabric is made of several layers, including electrically conductive and protective, and can respond to touches on its surface. At the same time, it not only registers the point of contact, but also the force of pressure and the direction of pressing. Thanks to this, you can control the operation of your iPod without removing it from your pocket, using the button symbols printed on the sleeve of your suit. With these unique characteristics, the fabric is still fabric - it can be folded, wrinkled and even washed.

Once electronic fabric is sufficiently developed, most of today's gadgets - such as phones and iPods - can be built into clothing. In this case, it will be enough to wave your hand to activate mobile communication, and then talk using a microphone built into, for example, the lapel of a jacket. The next step could be the use of a revolutionary thought-to-speech interface in conjunction with electronic fabric.

In March 2008, such technology was introduced by Texas Instruments. The essence of its work is the transformation into nerve impulses, which, in fact, lead to work vocal cords, into digital information, such as synthesized speech. Today, this technology is primarily used to enable mute people to speak on the telephone, but its future is not limited.

METAL FOAM: IRON MEMORY MATERIAL

Stronger than steel and does not sink in water

With the development of new technologies, scientists are finding more and more opportunities to modify traditional materials, such as metal. One of the most promising modifications is metal foam - a structure consisting of solid metal, most often aluminum, and containing a large number of gas-filled pores. Typically, approximately 75-95% of the volume of metal foam is voids. The material has a unique low resistance- some types of metal foam are so light that they float on the surface of the water. Moreover, the strength of such foam is several times higher than the strength of traditional metal.

In the future, metal foam may become an integral part of mechanical engineering and can also be used in the production of metal-ceramics. The material is ideal for creating large-sized, extremely durable structures - humanity has not yet come up with another material that can provide such a strength-to-weight ratio. Of course, it will be actively used in space technologies, where mass minimization is of great importance.

A recent discovery by American scientists may further expand the scope of this material. During research by the US National Science Foundation, it was possible to develop the new kind metal foam alloy, which, reacting to magnetic radiation, can stretch in length by 10% under the influence magnetic field. To achieve this effect, it was developed new technology. A special liquid alloy is poured onto a piece of heated porous sodium aluminate. After the metal has cooled, the sodium aluminate salt is etched away with acid, and the metal acquires a porous structure.

Scientists call the new alloy “metal memory foam.” In their opinion, he will find wide used in the production of automobiles and aircraft, as well as wherever materials are required that maintain high strength under high stress.

AMORPHOUS METALS: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE STRUCTURE

Progress. Scientists continue to invent the materials of the future

Another modification of traditional iron is amorphous metals, or so-called “metallic glasses,” which consist of metal with a chaotic atomic structure. They can be twice as strong as steel. The disjointed structure of the atoms allows them to dissipate impact energy more effectively than the rigid structure of traditional metals, which has points of vulnerability. Amorphous metals are produced using a special technology - the molten metal is quickly cooled so that its atomic structure does not have time to acquire a clear crystalline form.

Metal glass is twice as strong as steel

The military has long had its eye on a new type of metal. According to their calculations, armor made from it will be several times stronger than that produced using today's technologies. In addition, amorphous metals are becoming widespread in the electronics industry. In addition to strength, they have unique magnetic properties, which are widely in demand for the production of mobile phones, magnetic tapes, and high-voltage transformers. The efficiency of energy saving when using amorphous metals increases by an average of 40%. Their widespread use could mean saving hundreds of thousands of tons of fossil fuels on a global scale.

TRANSPARENT ALUMINUM: GOODBYE GLASS!

No glass. In the future, glass will become aluminum

The metal can be transparent. These are not the dreams of science fiction writers. Metal is three times stronger than steel, and at the same time transparent - already a reality. The first samples of this miracle were obtained by German scientists from the Fraunhofer Physics Laboratory.

Its manufacturing technology involves sintering tiny aluminum particles at very high temperatures. high temperatures. By choosing the right particle sizes, you can achieve high transparency of the material. To improve optical properties, rare earth additives can be added during the sintering process.

Scientists predict a great future for transparent aluminum. High strength and transparency can be very useful in the construction of skyscrapers and aircraft. Space agencies are also showing great interest in the new material; in the future, it can be widely used in the construction space stations, removing the restriction on the area of ​​the windows, which is currently imposed by the strength characteristics of the glass.

Alexey Bondarev

The new device uses a kind of deception or illusion. It helps a blind person build a picture of the world based on a set of sounds. This invention revealed to researchers new facets of the plasticity of the human brain.

True, VISOR transmitted signals to the brain through a neuroimplant. But the general idea is similar: you need to take a picture of the area, convert it according to certain rules and deliver it to its destination in some location. accessible form(footage memory-alpha.org, Paramount Pictures/Paramount Television, CBS Studios).

Amir and his colleagues set out not just to create various electronic assistants for people with disabilities, but to understand how they interact with the owner’s brain. In particular, scientists were interested in... the visual cortex.

One of the phenomena studied by Amedi's group is multisensory perception. This is the integrated processing of different channels of information, helping to form a whole picture of the world. The features of the interaction of different areas of the brain in this process are still not fully understood.

In particular, in one of Amedi's previous works, he found interesting intersections in the information processing pathways during normal book reading and reading Braille by a blind person, although in one case the eyes work, and in the second - the fingertips (illustration by Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Amir Amedi's Lab ).

Neuroscientists know that visual processing in the brain follows two parallel pathways. In the cortex there is an occipitotemporal pathway, or “ventral stream,” associated with the processing of shapes, identification of objects, and their colors. It answers the question “what do I see?”

And then there is the occipito-parietal pathway (“dorsal stream”), which analyzes spatial information about the location of an object (questions “where?” and “how?”).

Amedi’s work is not the first in which engineers and scientists have tried to form a “visual picture” in the head of a blind person using sounds. Let's remember the European pilot project CASBLiP, in 2009 (photo CASBLiP/ Universitat Politècnica de València).

Amedi and his colleagues scanned the brains of 9 sighted people and 11 people who were blind from birth. Sighted subjects performed visual recognition tasks, and blind subjects performed similar exercises using SSD.

The SSD project actually combines several options for assistants for the blind. This includes the already mentioned pocket “virtual cane”, and various prototypes of orientation systems with camera glasses and stereo headphones, also called vOICe (photo by Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Amir Amedi’s Lab).

To the surprise of the experimenters, the same two streams were activated in the blind people. That is, the visual cortex began to decipher the shape of things and their spatial arrangement in the same way when a person used “auditory vision.”

(This research is reported in the journal Cerebral Cortex.)

It turned out that such a fundamental division of the volume of work could arise even without any previous visual experience. And that this division is not visual in nature.

The Israelis concluded that the brain organizes cortical zones according to the principle of specific information processing (relatively, according to the type of necessary calculations), regardless of the type of sensory channels - visual, auditory or tactile. The latter deserves special mention.

The shift to the visual cortex of the responsibility for drawing up a “visual picture” based on sound alone is another example of the amazing neuroplasticity of the brain (illustration from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Amir Amedi’s Lab).

Four decades ago, American neurophysiologist Paul Bachirita (

Blind people often use touch, the tactile sense, to navigate the outside world. But who would have thought that now with its help they will be able not only to determine the structure of the material or read Braille text, but also to see surrounding objects and people without touching them!

The main advantages of the Forehead Retina System are its compactness and invisibility to others (photo from eyeplus2.com).

When ordinary people you have to do something, the tactile feeling seems to disappear - it is so ignored that they don’t specifically think about it. The situation is completely different for people with visual disturbances- as you know, touch is very important for them. But this feeling has a main drawback - it “works” only when in contact with an object.

However, the situation can be changed by the Forehead Retina System (FRS), which was demonstrated at the conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive technology SIGGRAPH 2006, held recently in Boston. This device does not transmit a visual image, but allows you to get to a blind person detailed understanding of the surrounding world.

The FRS system can also transmit an image, but, as you may already guess, using touch. She does it quite in an unexpected way– transferring images to the forehead (where the name comes from English word"forehead"). Once we already talked about a device that works very similarly - it translates images into language, but still, let's figure out what the features of FRS are and how it generally works.

This is what all FRS equipment looks like. In appearance – nothing intriguing (photo from eyeplus2.com).

Left: FRS electrical boards. Right: pad with electrodes (photo from eyeplus2.com).

The Forehead Retina System sensor is a miniature camera that takes images of objects in front of a person. For convenience, it is built into dark glasses, the most ordinary in appearance.

The resulting image is processed and turned into tactile impulses. At the first stage of processing, a special algorithm determines the outlines of objects - that is, their edges are identified. The second stage involves broadband filtering of time-varying information.

During the processing process, the image is divided into “pixels”, which will correspond to charges on the matrix with electrodes (illustration from eyeplus2.com).

Finally processed visual image transformed into electrical impulses. In this case, the electrodes in the matrix are charged in such an order that they repeat the simplified contour of the image. The discharge irritates the receptors on the skin of the forehead, and the person “feels” the shape of the object without any touching.

Thus, a visual image, turning into electrical impulses, becomes a tactile sensation. However, FRS does not make do with just contours, but can even transmit colors. How is this possible?

This is roughly how the received image is coarsened to outlines - an image without unnecessary details is easier to transmit (photo from eyeplus2.com).

The creators of the system drew attention to the fact that cells are “responsible” for the skin sensation different types, and decided to use this feature.

Colors here are transmitted in the RGB scheme. The solution could not be simpler - each type of receptor was compared with a specific color.

Depending on the transmitted impulses they are irritated Various types receptors. The corresponding sensations are associated with different colors(illustration from eyeplus2.com).

Various electrical impulses are selected so that they cause different sensations(vibration or pressure). The user just has to figure out which colors should be associated with what. The rest is a matter of learning, and soon you can do it without special labor also recognize intermediate colors: purple, green, orange and white.

One of the developers of FRS, Hiroyuki Kajimoto, seems to be surprised by the efficiency of the device (photo from eyeplus2.com).

Although various eye replacements have been developed since the 1960s, the forehead skin approach is relatively new, but it makes sense. FRS is easy to wear, take off and put on, the device is almost invisible. In addition, it is easier for the brain to process a visual image “projected” on the forehead than on another part of the body, not to mention the fact that the stratum corneum here is quite thin, which provides greater sensitivity.

It is still difficult to say what the future holds for the new invention, but FRS has already been successfully tested in Japanese and American institutions for people with visual impairments. Therefore, prospects are visible.