Ford creates smart glass to help the blind 'see'

Ford has released a new video demonstrating pioneering new glass technology that uses vibrations to illustrate the view outside for visually impaired passengers.

The new smart-glass tech, named Feel the View, was created by Ford of Italy in co-operation with fellow Italian tech firm, Aedo.

Revealed on a prototype vehicle to demonstrate how the tech works, the new smart-glass tech works by converting an image into vibrations that help a blind or partially sighted person chart out the landscape with their finger.

The glass works by taking a picture on the other side of the window and then converting it into a black and white image. The varying shades of grey are then represented by differing vibrations with up to 255 intensities.

The same technology tracks the user's finger and uses artificial intelligence to describe to the blind or partially sighted person what exactly they're looking at. In the video, this includes helping name the mountain peaks pictured.

Ford's Feel the View technology is currently at concept stage but it's thought it could be made available in production vehicles in the near future, potentially in differing applications including automotive glass and in hand-held tablets.