TED - This device can turn COLORS into SOUND #TEDTalks #cooltech
The speaker was born with acromatopsia, a condition causing total color blindness. To perceive colors, they use an electronic eye that detects color frequencies and transmits them to a chip in their head, allowing them to hear colors through bone conduction. This technology has significantly changed their life, enabling them to experience art and everyday environments in a new way. For instance, they can 'listen' to paintings like a concert and find supermarkets to be vibrant auditory experiences, akin to nightclubs, due to the variety of sounds produced by different products, especially cleaning supplies.
Key Points:
- Acromatopsia causes total color blindness, but technology allows hearing colors.
- An electronic eye detects color frequencies and transmits them to a chip in the head.
- Bone conduction enables the perception of colors as sounds.
- Art and environments become auditory experiences, enhancing life quality.
- Supermarkets and paintings provide rich, varied soundscapes.
Details:
1. 🎨 Born with Acromatopsia: Hearing Colors
1.1. Understanding Acromatopsia
1.2. Perceiving Colors Through Sound
2. 👁️ The Electronic Eye: Sensing Colors through Sound
- The electronic eye is a sophisticated color sensor that translates visual color frequencies into auditory signals through bone conduction, providing an alternative sensory experience for the visually impaired.
- Installed at the back of the head, the device allows users to 'hear' colors, enhancing their interaction with the environment by converting colors into unique sound frequencies.
- This technology enables visually impaired users to distinguish colors in their surroundings, offering them increased independence and an enhanced quality of life.
3. 🔊 Experiencing the World Differently: Sounds of Colors
- The individual experiences the world by hearing colors, with specific sounds attributed to purple, grass, and red, illustrating a unique sensory perception.
- This ability has dramatically altered their perception of the environment, potentially influencing lifestyle changes and interactions.
- The impact on daily life is significant, as the ability to hear colors offers a new dimension of interaction with the world and enhances sensory experiences.
4. 🎶 Art and Supermarkets: A Symphony of Colors
- Viewing art, such as a Picasso, is likened to attending a concert, emphasizing the multi-sensory aspect of art appreciation.
- Supermarkets are compared to nightclubs due to their vibrant mix of stimuli, particularly in aisles with cleaning products, highlighting unexpected aesthetic experiences in everyday settings.
- This analogy encourages a deeper appreciation of the sensory experiences present in both art galleries and supermarkets, suggesting that beauty and inspiration can be found in mundane places.