Project Overview

Sarotis: Wearable Futures functions as a second-skin that uses 3-D vision technology to help heighten the user's awareness of his or her surroundings.

Organisation

Interactive Architecture Lab The Bartlett School of Architecture

Team

Research conducted by Ava Aghakouchak, Maria Paneta
Research supervised by Ruairi Glynn (IALab Director), Vincent Hygh, Fiona Zisch

Project Brief

Through its depth perception and object recognition technologies, Sarotis' most obvious application is to assist those with vision impairments by using gentle pressure to guide users away from curbs, walls, or other obstacles.

Project Need

Sarotis uses soft robotics combined with depth sensors to create a prosthetic technology that works in tandem with Google's Project Tango technology.

Using depth sensing, motion tracking, and area learning technologies, Sarotis allows smartphones or other compatible devices to 'see' their surrounding environments in 3-D. The data is then translated into a tactile response, inflating or exerting pressure to guide users.

The product is made from a soft, breathable fabric which wraps around the body to create a barely perceptible second skin.

Project Marketing

The Sarotis: Wearable Futures trial runs have been a great success so far. The first round of trials saw participants navigate an empty room with an invisible path drawn in it using Project Tango, whilst blindfolded. Whilst wearing the Sarotis technology, participants were able to navigate the maze with ease and were able to reproduce it fairly accurately through drawings afterward.