Usage notes

For learning to see through The vOICe sensory substitution visit the training page, which is aimed at use of head-mounted devices. When running The vOICe Web App on a smartphone, you can make use of Google Cardboard type of headsets with a head strap for a cheap, hands-free and immersive wearable setup.

At startup, seconds after loading The vOICe Web App web page, a popup dialog may appear that asks for your permission to access the camera. The dialog may disappear if you accidentally click outside this dialog or move focus to another window, and then it returns only after reloading The vOICe Web App web page. To access the popup in Firefox for Windows, press Alt-S, following by the Tab and Enter key to grant access to the camera. Alternatively, you can repeatedly press F6 until the dialog gets focus, and then Tab around. In Google Chrome for Windows, after pressing the Enter key for the URL of The vOICe Web App in the browser address bar, press the Tab and Enter key to grant access to the camera.

Bandwidth requirements in running The vOICe Web App are extremely low, because almost all processing including soundscape generation is done locally in your browser and not "in the cloud", such that communication overhead is negligible. In fact you can disconnect your Internet connection after starting The vOICe Web App and it will continue to sound live camera images!

The vOICe Web App has been tested or reported to run on Windows in at least Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera and Microsoft Edge, on Android in at least Firefox, Chrome and Opera, on iOS in at least Safari, on ubuntu Linux in at least Firefox, on Raspbian (Raspberry Pi) in IceWeasel (a Firefox port), and on OS X (MacBook Pro) in Google Chrome.

Known issues

Apple iPhone and iPad: The vOICe Web App requires iOS 11 or later. Moreover, it will appear muted until you press the Play button in the The vOICe Web App. This is needed because Apple WebKit requires user interaction before starting video with sound. In case you still get no sound after pressing the Play button, check if you need to grant permission to use and "unmute" the camera via a camera button near the top of the screen. To prevent a screen timeout you may also wish to temporarily set your screen lock (Auto-Lock) time to "Never" in your device Settings | Display & Brightness.

Turn off Low Power Mode if it is on: The vOICe Web App may not work if your iOS device is in Low Power Mode.

Firefox for Android: With Firefox for Android you must have autoplay enabled via Settings | Advanced | Media | Allow autoplay. This unintuitive requirement should be fixed in Firefox 60.

Chrome for Android: With Chrome for Android you may need to explicitly enable access to the camera via Settings | Apps | Chrome | Permissions | Camera ON.

If The vOICe Web App then still does not work, you may need to install and use Firefox Nightly or Chrome Canary.

License restrictions

You may freely and without cost apply The vOICe Web App for personal or academic use. You will not charge a fee or request donations for The vOICe Web App, nor distribute or include The vOICe Web App in or with commercial products, nor modify or reverse engineer The vOICe Web App. You will not use The vOICe Web App for commercial purposes.

Disclaimer: THIS PRODUCT (The vOICe Web App) IS PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PETER B.L. MEIJER FURTHER DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED OR STATED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. THE ENTIRE RISK ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS PRODUCT AND DOCUMENTATION REMAINS WITH RECIPIENT. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL PETER B.L. MEIJER OR HIS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, RECURSIVE, OR OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, PERSONAL INJURY, DISRUPTION OF FAMILY LIFE, OR OTHER PECUNIARY LOSS) ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PRODUCT, EVEN IF PETER B.L. MEIJER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOME STATES/JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO THE RECIPIENT. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE USER OF THIS PROGRAM HAS PAID PETER B.L. MEIJER THE SUM TOTAL OF $0.00 FOR THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM. ANY DAMAGES AWARDED SHALL NOT BE IN EXCESS OF SAID AMOUNT.

Supplemental information associated with disclaimer:

Concerning privacy of the observed: The vOICe Web App by default (i.e. in normal use) does not store or transmit any video or snapshots; it converts live video frames to sound and next discards both the video data and the generated sound data. The vOICe Web App is intended for educational uses, while its effectiveness or benefit has not been independently demonstrated and formally validated. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. It does not replace long cane and/or guide dog. Depending on national law and regulations, usage of The vOICe technology may be subject to approval by an institutional review board. Also, as with any audio-based system, permanent hearing loss may result when sounds are played at high volume (> 80 dB, OSHA) for prolonged periods of time, while environmental sounds can be partially masked even at a modest volume. Also note that this is still a research project, while the software may contain bugs, so there has to be a disclaimer with respect to any damages or harm that use of this educational software might cause through inappropriate use, just like you shouldn't attempt to dry your cat in the microwave oven. Never rely on The vOICe for your safety. Getting professional rehabilitation support, including adequate O&M training support for mobile orientation and mobility use, is considered extremely important when moving beyond mere educational uses, but even with that, 100% safety can never be guaranteed. Finally, some of the third-party product information may prove inaccurate, incomplete or outdated as it reflects a best effort to describe selected developments in a complex and highly dynamic market where adequate and reliable documentation is often missing or hard to track down. See also the privacy policy and disclaimer page.