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.
According to Francois Birot, co-founder of Gosense, the firm that developed the Rango, the big challenge was to not overload the user with information.
How does Rango work?
The Rango is designed to work out the user’s trajectory, and only let them know about obstacles directly in their path. If the obstacle is ahead of them but to the right, the alarm will sound in their right ear, letting them know they need to take a detour to the left.
Rango works with ultrasonic sensors that can detect obstacles within a 2.5-metre radius. This is perfect for obstacles at mid-height, for example, that a standard white cane would be unable to signal. As soon as an obstacle is detected, a 3D sound alert is sent to the user’s headphones, indicating where the obstacle is in relation to them. Note that Rango doesn’t signal all obstacles in the user’s vicinity, just those that the user is likely to collide with, which are usually the closest.
In addition, Rango can help users pinpoint their location at any time, and even give upcoming times for nearby public transport. The device communicates via Bluetooth with any smartphone running the Rango application. Waterproof and shockproof, Rango has a battery life of about 3.5 hours and starts via a small touchpad.
Is the Rango currently available?
To date, the device is being used by nearly 400 people in France, with a handful of models in use in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and Italy.
How much does it cost?
It sells for 2,000 euros ($2,348), though eligible people in France have most of the cost reimbursed by local government agencies.
Is this the only product GoSense makes for the blind?
GoSense has also developed an extremely useful free application called Wizigo. This community-based GPS allows visually impaired users to find their way around town using spatialize sound. Users can therefore get wherever they need to go simply by letting the app guide them.
Source: GoSense
