Believe it or not fellow Hackers, people go outside! And when they go outside, they can get hurt - especially if they have a visual impairment.
Some insight exists on the challenges that people with visual impairments face when it comes to accidents, though the research is only preliminary. A 2011 survey by Manduchi and Kurniawan at the University of Santa Cruz found that while visually impaired people do like to go out, a substantial amount of respondents reported that accidents required medical treatment AND reduced their confidence as independent travellers. Moreover, only 9% use some kind of technical mobility aid. This means that wearable tech for these latter people represents an untapped market with potential for growth!
With this product, we're bringing tech applications to the people who need it most. Easy-to-use hardware combined with our reliable object-detecting mechanism makes this a cutting-edge device for improving blind people's lives!
why our product matters:
- increases independence
- increases confidence
- reduces healthcare costs related to accidents
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
definitions for visual impairment:
- legally blind: less than 20/200 vision or vision field less than 20 degrees
- age-related vision loss etc.
how we implemented our idea
- used ultrasonic sensors to capture distance data and relay it to the corresponding buzzer
- proof of concept: wanted DC motors to induce vibration