“Bat Goggles” – Arduino powered visual aid device

Alex Tomic – Ubiquitous Computing Lab Project 2011 via arduino.cc.

The “Bat Goggles” are a general-purpose set of visual aids to assist those with low or no vision to sense obstacles. While the original project envisioned the sensors being attached as part of a helmet or eyeglasses, after experimentation it was determined that the tool is much more useful if the proximity sensors are movable, allowing them to be placed on the hands, feet, knees, or any other extremity. This allows more flexibility in exploration of environments and extending the effective range of the extremity.

In a free-moving use case, the user holds sensors in each hand. The proximity sensors serve as a virtual extension of the user’s hand, allowing him or her to check for the existence of objects without touching them. This can be useful in situations where it may be desirable to detect delicate objects that could be damaged if touched with excessive force (eg. a vase or lamp).


Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards

Happy New Year 2025
Happy New Year from Adafruit!

Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.

Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 38,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — New Products 11/15/2024 Featuring Adafruit bq25185 USB / DC / Solar Charger with 3.3V Buck Board! (Video)

Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Open Hardware is In, New CircuitPython and Pi 5 16GB, and much more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

Adafruit IoT Monthly — The 2024 Recap Issue!

Maker Business – Adafruit Daily — Apple to build another chip at TSMC Arizona

Electronics – Adafruit Daily — Low power?

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !


1 Comment

  1. Sweetness. Perhaps could be used in concert with my attempt. I like the "moveable" sensors, and I would guess more data is better. People had a lot of follow ideas for applications like firefighters in smoky places.

    http://www.instructables.com/id/Haptic-Feedback-device-for-the-Visually-Impaired/

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.