Smart living doesn’t always have to be about networked devices on your own four walls, it can also help people in completely different ways.
Austrian shoe company Tec-Innovation has partnered with students at the Graz University of Technology in Austria to implement camera-based AI image recognition into their line of shoes, dubbed “InnoMake” that are specifically made to help those who are visually impaired, and elderly people with obstacles in their path, making their everyday life safer.
The original version of these “seeing eye” shoes features ultrasonic sensors, which warn the person wearing them of obstacles in their way through haptic or auditory signals. AI image recognition that constantly learns, allows the shoes to provide more specific information to the wearer.
Markus Raffer, a founder of Tec-Innovation, who is himself visually impaired, said:
“Ultrasonic sensors on the toe of the shoe detect obstacles up to four meters [13 feet] away. The wearer is then warned by vibration and/or acoustic signals. This works very well and is already a great help to me personally.”
The device has already received approval for use and is being sold on the company website for a high price tag of no less than $3,000. This will include a pair of shoes as well as two sensors, one for each foot, and a USB charger.
InnoMake scores are high on all three factors – functionality, usability, and comfort. It is made of high-quality leather and can be easily fixed when worn or torn. These smart shoes for visually impaired people have no heels, which makes them comfortable to wear.
The smart shoes come with metal tracks where the electronic device can be attached. The tracks have been designed such that users can attach and detach the electronic device as and when they need it. This means they can use different shoes at any time.
The battery in InnoMake lasts up to a week depending on usage and can be recharged using a USB-C cable. They are both available for adults and children.
The scientists even hope to create a type of “street view navigation map” with the shoes.
“As it currently stands, only the wearer benefits in each case from the data the shoe collects as he or she walks,” said Fraundorfer. “It would be much more sustainable if this data could also be made available to other people as a navigation aid.”
Source: AWM
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