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Foldable white canes¹ help the visually impaired³ navigate⁴ their surroundings, but the guide stick's tactile⁵ (preceptible by touch or apparently⁶ so) nature offers only so much information. The cane²'s user must manually find and avoid obstructions⁷, but new high-tech⁸ canes are on the horizon.

Last year researchers in India tried to fill in some of the missing info with their experimental SmartCane. The device uses an attached ultrasonic⁹ transmitter and a sensor¹⁰ that vibrates the cane to warn its users when an obstacle is within 3m.

Students at the UK's Birmingham City University are developing a cane that can even identify acquaintances as they approach. Called the XploR mobility¹¹ cane, it includes an embedded¹² digital camera that analyzes¹³ faces of people walking by and compare their images against the database stored on a memory card in the cane's handle.

If there's a facial recognition match, the cane alerts the user's smart phone via blue tooth. The phone that identifies the approaching person to the user via its speaker or earbuds (a vert small headphone, worn inside the ear). The students are building a prototype they'll test later this year.

The hurdles¹⁴ are significant: facial recognition is a tough problem, especially outdoors. But if the XploR works, you can actually give the visually impaired a leg up (an advantage over) on everyone else, especially those of us who never remember people's names.

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1 canes
n.（某些植物，如竹或甘蔗的）茎( cane的名词复数 )；（用于制作家具等的）竹竿；竹杖
参考例句：
Sugar canes eat sweet. 甘蔗吃起来很甜。来自《简明英汉词典》 I saw several sugar canes, but wild, and for cultivation, imperfect. 我还看到一些甘蔗，因为是野生的，未经人工栽培，所以不太好吃。来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

2 cane
n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的
参考例句：
This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。 English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

3 impaired
adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
Much reading has impaired his vision. 大量读书损害了他的视力。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 His hearing is somewhat impaired. 他的听觉已受到一定程度的损害。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 navigate
v.航行，飞行；导航，领航
参考例句：
He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。 Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

5 tactile
adj.触觉的，有触觉的，能触知的
参考例句：
Norris is an expert in the tactile and the tangible.诺里斯创作最精到之处便是，他描绘的人物使人看得见摸得着。 Tactile communication uses touch rather than sight or hearing.触觉交流，是用触摸感觉，而不是用看或听来感觉。

6 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

7 obstructions
n.障碍物( obstruction的名词复数 )；阻碍物；阻碍；阻挠
参考例句：
The absence of obstructions is of course an idealization. 没有障碍物的情况当然是一种理想化的情况。来自辞典例句 These obstructions could take some weeks to clear from these canals. 这些障碍物可能要花几周时间才能从运河中清除掉。来自辞典例句

8 high-tech
adj.高科技的
参考例句：
The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。 The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

9 ultrasonic
adj.超声的；n.超声波
参考例句：
It was very necessary for people to take type-B ultrasonic inspection regularly.定期进行B超检查是十分必要的。 Sounds are classified into two kinds: sonic and ultrasonic.声波分为两类，即普通声波与超声波。

10 sensor
n.传感器，探测设备，感觉器（官）
参考例句：
The temperature sensor is enclosed in a protective well.温度传感器密封在保护套管中。 He plugged the sensor into a outlet.他把传感器插进电源插座。

11 mobility
n.可动性，变动性，情感不定
参考例句：
The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。 Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

12 embedded
a.扎牢的
参考例句：
an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术 He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

13 analyzes
v.分析( analyze的第三人称单数 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析
参考例句：
This approach analyzes management by studying experience usually through cases. 这个学派通常从实例获得经验，用以分析管理。来自辞典例句 The econometrician analyzes statistical data. 经济计量学者要分析统计材料。来自辞典例句

14 hurdles
n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛
参考例句：
In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。来自《简明英汉词典》 There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。来自辞典例句