Custom wearable magnifier

Sorry if this is the wrong forum. I had considered the night vision forum, but felt that was the wrong place for it. I do believe an IR light would make this an ultimate night vision camera, but I had a different question.

To read small print or see small stuff I use a closed loop system like a microfish system. http://www.wheelchairmodifications.org/cctvs_viewers.htm It can zoom in on a tv screen, change colors and do a split screen. I have built one myself that i can wear http://www.wheelchairmodifications.org/home_made_cctv.htm

A company has made a much more compact unit with a video screen that you wear. You can see stuff in the distant enlarged, different colors. Below is a link to it.

http://www.enhancedvision.com/jordy.php

Anyway, what I wanted to know, if anyone had any experience, was if this could be done smaller. I had considered getting two cameras one for distance one for up close. Have the distance camera mounted on my eye glass frame and have a mini lcd screen down below my field of view or up above my field of view. Maybe make this into a baseball hat and attach the screen to the bill? The second camera for close up work would be put on a finger, wrist, arm, etc and I would wear a box that powered it and swtich between the cameras. I guess of all, distance would be the main thing. THis way I could focus the camera on my eyeglasses to see down a street if I am waiting for the bus or the spec sheets I could hang up on my walls in my cubical.

My vision is soo bad optics are beyond me. That is why I have no entertained the idea of a magnifier or telescope.

Just an idea.......

If you do a search on "wearable computer" you will find a lot of innovative ways to create wearable displays.

Daniel

Now just need a resourc on cameras. Far as I could tell from research, the same camera can be used for a range of stuff, the lens made it what it sees. So if I wanted distance, I needed a larger lens, if i wanted a wide view, a smaller lens. Right?

The term 'larger' is relative. I think you are speaking about the focal length, not the physical size, right? Focal length is distance between the light sensor and the lens, IIRC. A smaller focal length will, in general, give you a wider field of view. There are many very small lenses available.

Many still cameras (and web cams) simply crop the picture and interpolate the extra pixels to simulate telephoto.

Daniel

Cobb,

Nice work. I was going to say something about the Jordy but someone already beat me to it. Another wearable computer option is from Charmed technologies. They have a Linux based wearable with an eyeglass type screen.

I'm looking to do something similar with a wireless video cam controlled over a wireless network with external control to help me on stage and also to develope a stand alone application for night vision (basically enhancing the contrast and brightness, and perhaps some detection for peripheral vision). I'll keep you posted on anything that I run across that might suit you.

Mutie

I fools with a night vision camera from northerntool and tried it out in their closet. THey were willing to let me play with it as I had heard somewhere that folks with night blindness found night vision helps with their problems. It did not help me, at least that model of camera they sell.

Basically, I see just enough to get around, but no details. So, I can see figures, but can not tell which people they are. I can see signs, but not read them. I can see room numbers, but not read them, just where they are. I can see if print or a drawing, photo is on a page, but can not make it out. THis is where for the most part extra light helps, although makes some folks wonder when someone uses a flashlight to read door numbers or see the buttons on a snack machine or handout.

The night blindness is even worse. Like if i look under the hood of a car or a shaded area during the day, I see just a black area, no details at all. I doubt a night vision camera could help much there. Nighttime is about the same, nearly nothing. When I take my trash out in the morning I just follow the edges of the cars in the parking lot around the corner to the dumpster and back.

The jordy is a real help to me, but you do have to wear a funny looking thing on your head. I found it works for both near and far. When I attended the community college I used it to see my van arrive. I could see the van down the road before the stop light. Without it, I often mistaked a cargo van or fed ex one fo rmy ride as it pulled up to the curb. Also helped me with seeing my laptop and anything else.

Thanks for any help you can offer. I think I got the video glasses down pack, although most reviews of them seem negative, at least for watching video. I had investigated sources of cameras, but basically looks like most are made for spy or custom setups. They sell a range of lenses in different mms from 3-several hundred. One site made it look like the higher the mm in diameter the more detail or closer/zoom the camera had. I do not believe they offered a zoom lens, but those were rather fixed. TOtop it off, the lenses cost as much as the camera.

For night time, Ive often wondered about that night vision they have for some of the higher end cars with the heads up display. From what I have seen from the commercial, it looks neat. Not sure if that would be wearable. As is, going out at night for me is like walking around your house with the lights out using the edges of the walls to get around.

Forgot to mention the jordy does seem to work in low lighting levels, but the images are grainy. I am assuming an IR light would work like for night vision, but the colors would be effected.