The London startup with the Turkish roots of WEWALK with the support of Microsoft wants to change the life of non-talking people with their "smart" white cane for 599 dollars. It works in a pair with smartphones and uses ultrasound detection of objects to determine the dangers such as steps and parked cars, as well as objects at the height of the waist or hanging over their heads and at the chest level.
Wewalk is a touchpad nozzle, which can be fixed on any cane, turning it into a "smart" cane.
The device is also equipped with a USB input that can be used to charge the battery, and it is necessary for up to five hours to complete charging. Battery works for 20 hours.
The smart cane can be via Bluetooth associated with most Android and iOS smartphones, which means that it can integrate with applications such as Google Maps for personalized step-by-step instructions. It can also conjugate with ridexering applications * Uber and Lyft, and also contains information about taxis and public transport routes in dozens of cities. Thus, the "smart" cane can help people with violations are easier to move, especially in big cities.
In addition, the "smart" cane WEWALK is equipped with a built-in speaker and a microphone, which is perfectly working with Alexa's voice system from Amazon.
According to the developers, the company's goal is to create a product that combines key elements of devices such as FitBit or Apple Watch, with hardware, specially designed for people with limited vision or without impairing.
Wewalk provided initial financing through the crowdfunding campaign in 2018 and joined the Microsoft "AI For Accessibility" program at the end of 2020. According to company specialists, they were particularly interested in using the Azure cloud platform of the American technological company for analyzing data on the movement of people collected by her cane.
But at a price of about $ 600, the product is about ten times more expensive than the usual white cane. This also requires a smartphone to maximize its capabilities, and a free mobile application of the company. All this can make this device inaccessible to many people. But WEWALK works with governments, charitable organizations, medical institutions to create subsidized packages to help users afford a cane, just as in many countries compensate for part of the costs of dogs.
* Ridexering is a service that allows you to unite with someone for joint trips in this case by taxi, together paying for the cost of the trip.