Have a Vision

The Visionics Low Vision Enhancement System (LVES) was developed to assist people with chronic vision disabilities that can’t be corrected by glasses, medication or surgery. It was invented at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, in collaboration with NASA and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The LVES does for video images what headphones do for sound. It places the enlarged image of a video screen in front of each eye in a way that creates a sense of being immersed in a video scene. The effect is like standing close to a large-screen television. Images seen are "as big as life" -- or bigger.

A person seeing a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie clip on the headset said, "It was like I was in the gazebo with them."

The Visionics Low Vision Enhancement System has three cameras mounted in the front of the headset: two which provide a stereoscopic (3D), unmagnified binocular orientation view; and one with a zoom lens that can be adjusted for particular tasks such as reading or hand work. The image seen on the displays is equivalent to viewing a 60-inch large-screen television at a distance of four feet in an otherwise totally darkened room.

The headset is worn much like aviator’s goggles. It is adjustable for a variety of head sizes. The control unit, a box about the size of a book, holds the system’s battery, camera and display controls. A carrying strap allows the control unit to be hung across the chest, around the neck, or from the shoulder. Both hands are left free to perform tasks.

The user can switch to zoom-lens camera for specific tasks that require magnification. The control unit also has an input for external video sources such as television tuners and VCRs -- or, with optional adaptors, personal computers. A removable rechargeable battery powers the system for about 90 minutes of continuous use. The LVES also can be powered by its AC adaptor.

Contrast, brightness and image polarity (positive or negative image) can be adjusted by the user --in addition to field of view (and magnification) -- to match the image to the activity at hand, via controls on the belt pack. Increasing contrast and brightness to their maximum tolerable levels typically allows the user to resolve, recognize and manipulate objects to the maximum degree possible depending on their level of vision.

Because the LVES contains lenses that are fitted to an individual user, the system is prescribed and dispensed only by ophthalmologists and optometrists. If you have low vision and are considering the LVES, you should consult your doctor about its suitability for you. A trained low-vision professional familiar with your unique history and condition is best equipped to judge the degree of success that is likely.

(If you would like more information about the Visionics Low Vision Enhancement System, contact the Visionics Corp., 1000 Boone Ave. N., Ste. 600, Golden Valley, MN 55427 USA; tel.: (612) 544-4950; Fax: (612) 544-4784.)