Monitoring the environment: Sound localization equipment for deaf-blind people

The problems that deaf-blind subjects have with monitoring the environment and the strategies they use were identified using structured interviews. Th e use of the vibratory sense did not appear to be highly developed. but som e individuals indicated that it has great potential. We describe here the d esign of a computerized laboratory device for sound localization. based on a three-microphone system with a cross correlation algorithm. It was found to have reasonable precision and sufficient reliability to allow the detect ion and localization of a person approaching a deaf-blind subject in an ord inary room. The nest step is to miniaturize the equipment and build a porta ble prototype.