Many startups are working on solutions to make life easier for the visually impaired. Of the few products already on the market, Rango was developed by Lyon, France-based startup GoSense. It's a connected module that makes the white cane smarter. Users can move around safely because the accessory can detect the slightest obstacles in the vicinity, including those at heights, which are often not detectable by a simple white cane.
Emerging Tech for Visually Impaired
For its part, California startup Mojo Vision is working on an ambitious concept for a contact lens equipped with a screen and a chip capable of transcribing images in augmented reality. Still in prototype stage, it could one day help visually impaired people better understand their environment.
In fact, in labs around the world, researchers are coming up with ways to help the visually impaired. Engineers at Google Research worked with a guide dog training school to develop highly original technology that involves walking (or running) along a path defined by a yellow line on the ground. The camera analyses the user's deviation and alerts them with a tiny sound in the headset, allowing them to correct their trajectory immediately. The project is called Guideline.
Smartphones are also a very useful tool for visually impaired people. Apple has developed many solutions for people with disabilities. Among these tools, there is a function that analyses the properties of the door (push/pull, slide, fold, emergency, etc.) and immediately indicate how to open it.
