FaceSensor vs EchoVision

FaceSensor is an entertaining way to use haptics to provide information to a blind user of the presence of another person as viewed by the iPhone camera. It does this gently and quietly by way of tactile sensations. These sensations will vary depending on the distance to the observed individual. Farther distances result in fainter signals and closer distances result in stronger signals. Left, center, and right sectors are also differentiated by varying haptic patterns. It is the discrete way to be aware of someone nearby. The Apple Watch can also be used with FaceSensor for reinforced sector information. FaceSensor is for stationary use only.

EchoVision is an interactive mixed reality art experience that simulates bat echolocation using custom-designed, handheld, bat-shaped masks based on the open-source HoloKit headset. As users initiate sounds, they experience echolocation—the remarkable navigation method bats employ in darkness—through visual representations of propagating echoes mapped onto the real-world 3D shape of the surrounding environment, scanned in real-time by the LiDAR sensor of a smartphone mounted on the masks. By providing a unique glimpse into how non-human creatures perceive their sensory world, EchoVision promotes an ecocentric design perspective, fostering interspecies understanding and appreciation.