New Scientist writes about a patent filed by George Stetten, utilizing a miniature camera in conjunction with machine vision (algorithmic pattern recognition), to provide clues about the environment to partially or fully blind people. Spotting an obstacle, the fingertip-mounted device would give tactile feedback (vibration) to guide the user around it. It could also help the user locate switches and controls.
I think a new age is dawning for sensorially challenged people. In 2004, I worked together with an international group of designers to build a wearable device that deprived its’ user of her visual sense, and replaced it with auditory feedback. It was an experiment in pseudo-synaesthesia, but the technique could easily be applied to empower visually impaired people.