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Teen creates smart cane for the blind

Shared by Ana Duarte on 2015-10-08 10:39

About the solution

Raghav saw a documentary about the daily lives of the blind and visually impaired, and was immediately inspired by it. "There's an old device here that needed an upgrade," Raghav says, "and I thought I could make that better."

Raghav sought out Steve Mahan, blind, and CEO of the Santa Clara Valley Center For The Blind (SCVCFTB) a year ago after throwing together his first prototype of SmartWalk to have blind people testing it.

"It's pretty extraordinary for a 13-year-old to develop a device that is this sophisticated. There are quite similar, though less-sophisticated, devices already on the market at a very high cost", Steven said.

"My prototype cost about $55, but I'm projecting about $20 for the final price”. Which means that this student's device is not only cheaper, but also better than the similar devices available for sale, according to the CEO and SCVCFTB members.

Meeting monthly for the past year, Steve and clients of the SCVCFTB would test out Raghav's prototypes and suggest improvements or modifications to the design. They also gave Raghav the confidence to continue working on his idea.

"After going to the blind center and seeing people working with it," Raghav says, "I thought 'wow, I can really make a difference in someone's life”.

More info: http://smartwalk.weebly.com/

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/1Hwi8UR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0D5ZXpE844

This solution shall not include mention to the use of drugs, chemicals or biologicals (including food); invasive devices; offensive, commercial or inherently dangerous content. This solution was not medically validated. Proceed with caution! If you have any doubts, please consult with a health professional.

DISCLAIMER: This story was written by someone who is not the author of the solution, therefore please be advised that, although it was written with the utmost respect for the innovation and the innovator, there can be some incorrect statements. If you find any errors please contact the patient Innovation team via info@patient-innovation.com

About the author

Raghav Ganesh, born in 2002, in USA, developed SmartWalk, in 2015, an electronic add-on to the traditional white cane that will extend the cane's range and improve the mobility of the visually impaired and blind users. The invention uses ultrasonic and infrared technology, which alerts the user via vibrations to upcoming obstacles. It detects hanging objects, end of stairwell, protruding obstacles etc.

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