System aims to prevent texting-and-walking accidents

                      

FIRST WORLD PROBLEM: CrashAlert uses an app paired with a depth-sensing camera in order to identify and alert users about upcoming obstacles. - ©AFP/Relaxnews 2013

As I read through this article, I found it interesting as me myself would be ignoring what in front of me ... A technology to help the unalert people like me to be more alert I guess..  No harm to try than giving harm to myself... hihi..

A post-doctoral researcher at the HCI Lab of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada is developing a system that alerts engrossed smartphone users to upcoming obstacles.Although many would be inclined to describe the issue of accidentally walking into objects both stationary and moving while texting on a smartphone as a 'First World problem,' the potential for injuries and even fatalities while distracted by a plethora of mobile devices is a growing concern.Conceived by Juan David Hincapié-Ramos, CrashAlert is a system - still in its early stages - that can identify such obstacles and alert a smartphone or tablet user to take evasive action. And avoid banging into things -- much to the disappointment of other smartphone users who are always on the lookout for real-life slapstick events to film and post to YouTube.

Source: http://techcentral.my/news/story.aspx?file=/2013/4/17/it_news/20130417163538&sec=IT_News