PERSPECTIVES New Opportunities for Computer Vision– Based Assistive Technology Systems for the Visually Impaired

Computing advances and increased smartphone use gives technology system designers greater flexibility in exploiting computer vision to support visu-ally impaired users. Understanding these users ’ needs will certainly provide insight for the development of improved usability of computing devices. C omputer vision as a substitute for human vision constitutes a powerful tool for developing assistive technologies for the visually impaired. Applications based on computer vision enhance these persons’ mobility and orientation as well as object recognition and access to printed material. More recent systems even attempt to support social interaction. Such assistive technology is critical to a sizable percent-age of the global population. According to the World Health Organization, in 2013, approximately 39 million people were blind, and another 246 million had some kind of moderate or severe visual impairment (www.who.int/mediacentre/fact sheets/fs282). The same survey also showed trends in the causes of visual impairment. In developed countries, th