The white cane for the twenty first century. Whereas many tech firms have more and more labored to make expertise extra accessible for the blind and visually impaired, canes haven’t benefitted a lot from these advances.
London-born WeWalk takes a extra conventional method to the white cane. Past the bulkier deal with, not a lot units the corporate’s product aside visually from an ordinary folding cane.
The corporate presently presents two fashions: the $850 Smartcane 2 and $1,150 Smartcane+ 2. The primarily distinction between the tiers is the latter’s inclusion of a voice-controlled assistant — a seemingly invaluable instrument for a visually impaired individual on-the-go. Along with detecting ground-level obstacles, the system is able to recognizing potential obstacles overhead.
The system connects wirelessly to an iPhone/Android smartphone, permitting customers to get strolling instructions instantly from the cane through an onboard speaker. The buttons on the deal with may also be used to interface instantly with the cellphone, bringing a tactile expertise smartphones lack.
Parked subsequent door on the CES showfloor, Washington State-based Glidance is far newer entrant on the scene. The startup describes its product, Glide, as an “autonomous, self-guided mobility aid” or, merely, a robotic. Reasonably than the extra standardized kind issue, Glide incorporates a deal with hooked up to a wheeled base.
The $1,500 system ($1,799 with an annual subscription) is presently in smooth launch mode, following an preliminary preorder. The system incorporates a pair of stereo depth cameras and takes a extra technically subtle method. Along with avoiding obstacles, it would alert the consumer once they method a door, elevator, stair, or curb, and briefly lock once they attain an intersection to keep away from oncoming site visitors.
The corporate says a delivery product is round a 12 months out. Glidance has raised a $1.5 million pre-seed and is presently within the strategy of closing a $5 million seed.
