Google honors inventor Seiichi Miyake with new Doodle

March 18 (UPI) -- Google is celebrating Japanese inventor Seiichi Miyake, who created tactile blocks to help the visually impaired, with a new Doodle.

Miyake used his own money to craft the tactile blocks in 1965 in order to help out a friend. The tactile blocks, previously known as Tenji blocks, help the visually impaired around the world navigate public spaces, crosswalks and railway platforms by using dots and bars that are placed on the street.

The dots and bars allow the visually impaired to know when they near danger and when they are following a safe path. The dots and bars can be deciphered by using canes, guide dogs or by walking over them.

Miyake's invention was first introduced on March 18, 1967 near the Okayama School for the Blind located in Okayama City, Japan.

Google's homepage features an animated sequence of a person using a cane to decipher a row of yellow tactile blocks on a sidewalk that contain the Google logo.