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GPS

GPS app guides visually impaired navigate trails of city park

An app that helps blind and visually impaired people navigate their surroundings is now available for some trails in Fish Creek Park in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

People with vision loss can now explore Fish Creek Park independently thanks to the BlindSquare app. It’s part of a pilot project by Alberta Parks with CNIB Frontier Accessibility and Trans Canada Trail to make hiking more accessible to people of all abilities.

What is BlindSquare?

BlindSquare is a 3D, audible GPS app that feeds information to the user about their surroundings. It uses auditory cues to guide people along a route, and alert them to things like trail surface changes, crossings, bridges, benches, buildings and trail features. read more

This cane uses autonomous vehicle technology to help guide visually impaired and blind travellers

Stanford University researchers have constructed a cane that could be of significant use to the blind or visually impaired.

The standard white cane is an essential aid for getting out and about for many visually impaired people, but to date, it hasn’t offered much in the way of affordable modern updates. Borrowing technology designed for autonomous vehicles, the team has come up with a self-navigating smart cane that can identify obstacles in the surrounding environment, and nudge the user safely away from them. read more

This gadget turns your white cane into a smart cane

This small connected accessory that fits onto a regular white cane can help blind and visually impaired people move around more safely. This accessory detects all nearby obstacles, including those at head height, which generally go undetected with a standard white cane.

The Lyon, France-based startup GoSense specializes in new technologies for disabled users. Its flagship product is Rango, a connected module that gives smart powers to regular white canes. When attached to a cane, Rango can alert users to all nearby obstacles, and not just those on the ground. read more

New wearable with haptic GPS for the blind is now available

New wearable with haptic GPS for the blind is now available

This assistive device will allow the visually impaired to become more independent than ever before.

An early prototype of the Wayband first appeared at the 2017 New York Marathon, where Simon Wheatcroft put the product to the test and became the first blind runner to run a portion of the course without assistance.

Developed by WearWorks, the Wayband has the potential to empower the visually impaired to live a life less constrained by their disability. With real-time feedback on their surroundings, they can more easily explore new areas of their city and break up routines. read more

The future of travel is here with robot suitcases

The future of travel will include robot suitcases, but Travelmate goes well beyond that. It’s more akin to a personal robot butler. Imagine a portable Alexa mixed with a robot and you get a Travelmate.

How does the Travelmate robot suitcase work?

The Travelmate robot assistant is a multi purpose autonomous robot that doubles as a suitcase. Its patented movement system allows the robot to follow you in various conditions.

It works 24/7 indoors, outdoors, daylight, low light conditions and even in blackout conditions. This is because of a patented movement system which does not use camera vision. It can talk and is able to understand simple commands. It has over 17 million different LED colour variations, something that makes it immediately stand out. read more

Navigate the world step-by-step with GoodMaps Explore

GoodMaps Explore provides on-demand, reactive mobile navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired, and developers are working to tackle a region that Google Maps has long ignored: indoor spaces.

How does GoodMaps work outdoors?

In outdoor mode, GoodMaps Explore reads aloud cardinal directions, streets and points of interest depending on where the user’s mobile device is pointing at any given time. With a shake of the phone, users can hear a snapshot of their current location and direction, and also gather information about the nearest rooms, streets, businesses and landmarks. read more

Project Guideline uses AI to help partially sighted runners navigate

Google, with collaboration with nonprofit organization Guiding Eyes for the Blind, has piloted an AI system called Project Guideline, designed to help blind and partially sighted people run races independently.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015, a total of 1.02 million people in the U.S. were blind and approximately 3.22 million people are visually impaired. Technologies exist to help blind and low-vision people navigate challenging everyday environments, but those who wish to run must either rely on a guide animal or a human guide who’s tethered to them. read more

Bose Shuts Down Sound Project

Bose is giving up on its augmented reality project, two years after debuting the idea at SXSW.

As first reported by Protocol, employees working on AR at the company have left or were laid off; Bose’s partners were told their apps would stop working in the coming weeks; and the company scrubbed mentions of AR from its website in addition to closing its public AR SDK in April. The main proponent of AR at the company, SVP John Gordon, also left last summer.

“Bose AR didn’t become what we envisioned,” a Bose spokesperson told Protocol. “It’s not the first time our technology couldn’t be commercialized the way we planned, but components of it will be used to help Bose owners in a different way. We’re good with that. Because our research is for them, not us.” read more

Blind Drag Racer Breaks World Speed Record Using Advanced Navigation System

Blind drag racer sets new speed record on ‘Jay Leno’s Garage’

Blind driver Dan Parker set a world record on Wednesday’s episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. The 2005 American Drag Racing League Pro Nitrous world champion was involved in a serious accident in 2012 which left him completely blind.

Parker’s car is a modified 2008 Corvette which features an advanced navigation system. The system was designed by Parker’s friend from Boeing and incorporates gyroscopes, GPS units, and inertia switches. The system is so advanced it is able to predict the car’s travel and instantly relay that back to Parker via audible feedback. read more

Lazarillo GPS App accepted to Tech Accelerator Program

Originally from Chile, the app — which means “guide dog” in Spanish slang — was brought to the Tampa area two months ago.

Rene Espinoza, the 29-year-old CEO of LazarilloApp, moved the startup to Tampa in May after launching in Chile three years ago.

“I was working in assisted technologies while in university and saw a need for a tool that would give autonomy to people with visual disabilities,” he said.

The idea came after Espinoza met Miguel González while a student at Universidad de Chile. González, who is blind, now works for LazarilloApp as the director of user experience. read more

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