Student invents walking aid to help blind people to navigate

“She told me that all existing devices only let users see in one direction so they can’t know what’s going on around them,” said, after seeing the lady only had a cane and guide dog – two things that are hard to come by – with her.

The device is called iAid, uses GPS and ultrasonic technology to help visually-impaired people get around safely. It works outside, using Bluetooth, Google Maps and geocoding. It's also integrated with Android smartphones.

The gadget looks like a belt, comes with a joystick and works by releasing sound waves that bounce-off objects in the user’s path to show how close things are to them. The iAid’s workings have been compared to the combination of a whale’s sonar and the technology used in cars to alert drivers when they’re close to reversing into something.

Alex hopes the iAid will sell for between $50-$70 (£32-£45) if he can lower the costs of materials with the hope that the sight-impaired can, one day, move around more freely.

Adapted from: https://ind.pn/1LW9UeI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRHcKgQK-Bw