Eric Dinet, MCF Laboratoire Hubert Curien, Image Science & Computer Vision research team
Partnership with Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand) and Shimane University (Matsue, Japan)
The onset of visual impairment can significantly affect mobility and the ability to perform simple activities of daily living. Quality of life can be considerably impaired, even to the point of complete loss of autonomy, which is a major concern for the elderly.
Unfortunately, the few existing low-vision visual aids do not meet the needs of these people, especially when it comes to independent mobility, mainly because of the constraints associated with their use.
At the Laboratoire Hubert Curien, Éric Dinet’s research aims to study the influence of lighting conditions on the visual perception of people suffering from one of the three most widespread visual deficiencies in the world:
– central scotoma
– blurred vision
– tunnel vision
To this end, volunteers wearing low-vision glasses are asked to carry out everyday tasks in different lighting conditions. These tasks include:
– moving between objects without touching them,
– or making 2 cups of tea.
The aim of the experiments is to determine which light characteristics and their combinations have the greatest potential for highlighting visual elements relevant to a population suffering from low vision.
Ultimately, the aim is to produce “intelligent” lighting systems that can be adapted to the specific visual needs of elderly people with disabling sight problems, to facilitate their domestic activities and preserve their independence.
A group of Télécom Saint-Étienne students carried out their Research and Innovation Project in collaboration with the teacher-researchers in charge of the project.
