In 2011, a blind driver independently drove a car around the Daytona International Speedway, successfully navigating around obstacles including another moving car by following haptic prompts generated by input from the vehicle’s GPS, cameras, and LIDAR sensors. In 2022, blind racecar driver Dan Parker set a Guinness world record by reaching speeds of 211 miles per hour in a Corvette he designed with an audio guidance system. These groundbreaking drives were made as part of the Blind Driver Challenge, which developed pioneering nonvisual interface technologies to enable blind people to safely, independently operate vehicles.
This gallery will highlight stories of exciting innovations in design and technology. Learn about blind inventors, like engineer Ralph Teetor who invented cruise control. You’ll explore inventions designed by and for blind people that are now widely used. For instance, if your cell phone or laptop has ever read something aloud to you or a navigation app has ever given you directions verbally, you have benefitted from speech synthesizer software originally developed to make written documents accessible to blind people.
While exploring the evolution of adaptive technology, you’ll realize that new technologies sometimes create new barriers. You might also get to test some of the latest, cutting-edge access technology like tactile graphics displays or “smart glasses” with object and text recognition.
With examples drawn from mobility, communications, and arts and entertainment, this interactive gallery will demonstrate how advocacy by blind people plays a critical role in driving innovation and ensuring that accessible design is available to all.
NOTE: This gallery is under development, and the stories shared here are representative examples of the types of stories and objects that may be featured.
Ways to Give
Support the Museum of the Blind People’s Movement.
For more information about the museum or ways to give, reach out to [email protected] or call 410-659-9314, extension 2425.