RoboNexus reports, "TORC, VA Tech, U.S. Military Creating Cutting-Edge Technologies by Partnering"

From a report by RoboNexus, Ellen Cotton writes, "TORC's modified Ford Escape is packed with non-visual interface devices technologies designed by VA Tech Engineering students to allow blind drivers to operate the vehicle, which it did on Jan. 29, 2011, at Daytona International Speedway as part of the ongoing Blind Driver Challenge. Technologies in the vehicle include the ByWire XGV mentioned above. It also includes gloves called DriveGrips and a seat cushion called SpeedStrip, which vibrate to give the driver certain cues that indicate directions to accelerate or halt, turn right or left. The vehicles can “see” obstacles and the road ahead through strategically placed laser range finders and cameras."

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Blind Driver Challenge appears on 'MotorWeek'

Weeks before the National Federation of the Blind’s Blind Driver Challenge vehicle took the course at Daytona International Speedway, MotorWeek’s Yolanda Vazquez was following the story in Virginia – at Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg home – and then in Florida – for the big public debut. Here, from an episode of “MotorWeek” is her report, titled "Blind Man Driving." Featured are Virginia Tech’s Dennis Hong, Paul D’Angio and Ryan Colby, with TORC Technologies’ Jesse Hurdus, and the National Federation of the Blind’s Marc Maurer, Kevan Worley and Mark Riccobono, among others.

Image: Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of Blind, enjoys a quiet moment surrounded by his supporters at a press conference dedicated to the Blind Driver Challenge. Mr. Maurer is featured in this Motorweek segment. photo by Steven D. A. Mackay.

From "NEMS360.com": Road ready?: Blind Driver Challenge creates optimism

TUPELO - The idea of a blind man driving may seem like a fantasy or a stunt, but Ken Eskew has seen it happen.

In January, he drove to Daytona, Fla., to witness the National Federation of the Blind's Blind Driver Challenge.

"I drove 1,800 miles round trip to see that car in action," Eskew, 50, said.

A blind man took the wheel of a Ford Escape equipped with non-visual technology, and drove a mile and a half around the Daytona International Speedway track.

With help from a system developed by Virginia Tech and TORC Technologies, the driver used cues... Read more.

Image: National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute Executive Director and BDC driver Mark Riccobono takes on the famed Daytona track. Photo by Suzanne Shaffer, an art director at the National Federation of the Blind.