Austrian computer scientists have developed a revolutionary shoe, the InnoMake, to help blind individuals avoid obstacles while walking.
Tec-Innovation, an Austrian company, and Graz University of Technology collaborated to create these shoes costing over $3,000.
The InnoMake is equipped with a waterproof ultrasonic sensor on the toe of each shoe, detecting obstacles up to 13 feet away. Vibrations and sounds alert the wearer when approaching objects.
The technology is comparable to parking sensors found in vehicles. Markus Raffer, visually impaired co-founder of Tec-Innovation, emphasized its effectiveness: « It works very well and has already helped me a lot personally. »
Each foot has a dedicated sensor, available as a complete shoe or as a retrofit option.
These sensors can even identify the nature of an object, differentiating between walls, cars, or stairs, providing personalized alerts.