Medical device for improving environmental perception for blind or visually-impaired users

A device for improving environmental perception for blind or visually-impaired users, the device comprising:

• at least one set of mechanical actuators intended to be in contact with the skin of a user,
• at least one digital camera arranged for acquiring a current digital image of an environment facing the user,
• a processing circuit connected to the camera for receiving signals from pixels of the acquired digital image and converting at least a part of the pixel signals into control signals each supplying a mechanical actuator of the set of actuators,
• wherein the device furthermore comprises at least one eye-tracking module for at least one eye of the user for identifying a direction of gaze of the user,
• wherein the processing circuit is arranged for selecting in the environment filmed by the camera an area of acquired current image which depends on the direction of gaze, and converting the signals from pixels of said area into control signals each supplying an actuator of the set for stimulating the skin of the user, and
• wherein the processing circuit is further arranged for selecting within an acquired current image a limited area of the current image which depends on the direction of gaze, and converting the signals from pixels of said limited area into control signals each supplying an actuator of the set for stimulating the skin of the user.