Coming soon, to protect texters (like you?)

CrashAlert is an app under development by Pourang Irani and Juan David Hincapié-Ramos at the University of Manitoba. They wanted to find a realistic solution to the ongoing dangers posed by walking and texting. Since phone users aren’t likely to pocket their devices, the system restores their peripheral vision through the use of a Kinect-like forward-looking depth camera to provide distance and location cues to obstacles in the user’s path.
… Unlike existing apps WalkNText and TypenWalk, which are essentially see-through texting apps, CrashAlert displays a small slice of the depth camera’s image on the mobile’s screen and alerts users of obstacles immediately in front through a red alert prompting users to immediately stop or lift their heads.
… No info on commercialization plans yet but it’s easy to see the market is ripe for the product.

Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.

Frank Tobe is the owner and publisher of The Robot Report, and is also a panel member for Robohub's Robotics by Invitation series.