Researchers Create a Smart Shoe to Aid Blind People in Avoiding Obstacles and Avoiding “Nasty Bruises”
A smart sneaker designed by computer scientists can guide blind and visually impaired persons around various hazards.
Waterproof ultrasonic sensors are affixed to the tips of each shoe in the InnoMake sneakers. The sensors alert the wearer by vibrating or making noises whenever they come into contact with barriers.
The warning mechanism allows the user to avoid both the obstruction and the unpleasant shock of having their own cane crash into something when they run into it because obstructions can be detected from a greater distance than a cane can.
Emanuel Zuendel, 37, who was born mostly blind, says he might have avoided some painful bruising if he had shoes like this as a child.
Although he can distinguish between light and dark, he has always used a white cane to go about securely and avoid obstructions.
The shoes transmit and receive signals while the wearer walks using a cutting-edge algorithm. According to Kevin Pajestka of the business that made the shoes, Tec-Innovation, the device can send a warning up to ten feet in advance of an impediment based on how close the wearer is to it.
When new challenges occur on roads he is familiar with and can move more quickly on, according to Zuendel, the smart shoes are especially helpful.
“I can better avoid the snow poles that are placed on the streets in winter, for instance, so the shoes make it easier to navigate through places with a lot of obstructions,” he explains.
A brand-new pair of shoes or a modification to your current pair will cost you $4,640 USD at the moment.
