Smart shoes integrated with artificial intelligence help blind people avoid obstacles

TecInnovation Company (Austria) has just launched smart shoes integrated with artificial intelligence to help blind people detect obstacles up to 4 meters away.
The smart shoe above is called InnoMake. This product is expected to become a modern alternative to the road tracking stick, which millions of blind people around the world depend on to travel as safely as possible. The current version of the InnoMake shoe is on sale on the company’s website for $ 3,850 a pair. The newly launched shoe is equipped with sensors to detect obstacles and warn users through vibrating mechanisms and audible alerts emitted on smartphones with Bluetooth connectivity.

InnoMake shoe models are equipped with smart sensors to detect obstacles. Not stopping there, Tec-Innovation Company is also researching more advanced version of InnoMake shoes. The new shoe will incorporate both a camera and artificial intelligence (AI) to not only detect obstacles but also identify what those obstacles are. It is known that Tec-Innovation Company has cooperated with Graz University of Austria to develop advanced learning algorithms, capable of analyzing information from sensors and cameras integrated in InnoMake shoes. From there, the shoe can determine if the area has obstructions and is safe to pass through. It even distinguishes many different types of obstacles. “The shoes not only warn me that I am facing an obstacle, but also give information about that type of obstruction. Knowing if the obstruction is a wall, car, or ladder will make a difference.” The ultrasonic sensors on the toe of the shoe can detect obstructions up to 4 meters away.The shoe user will be alerted by a vibrating mechanism and an audible signal. It helps me a lot, ”said Markus Raffer, one of the founders of Tec-Innovation. The special thing is that Raffer is also a blind person. Not only identifying obstacles, InnoMake shoes can also identify exactly what obstacles the user encounters. Tec-Innovation says users can make changes in real time using the buttons on the back of the shoe. The operating range can be increased up to 4 meters at the push of a button. “You can activate smart mode, which automatically pauses when you sit down. You can also use InnoMake as a scanner to gather information about your surroundings through every step of the way,” the company says. said. This state-of-the-art system built into the toe of the shoe is water and dust resistant. It works on a super durable battery that can last up to 1 week, depending on frequency of use. The battery can be fully charged in 3 hours using the USB cable. InnoMake shoes are water and dust resistant. The next step of Tec-Innovation is to use data collected by its system to create a kind of navigation map from all angles for the visually impaired. “At the current stage, only shoe wearers benefit from the data it collects as they walk. It would be better if this data was used for others as a navigational aid, “added scientist Friedrich Fraundorfer.