It's amazing how technology is helping the specially abled get over their disabilities, by adding some much needed convenience in their life.
REUTERS
The Sunu wristband is one such piece of modern technology that's empowering blind people, helping them navigate their surroundings with renewed confidence.
Built by a startup co-founded by Fernando Albertorio -- who's legally blind, the device helps him walk along the footpath without bumping into any obstacles -- other people walking on the footpath, lampposts, speed bumps, any other moving or stationary object that could be obstructing his path. It's almost like Albertorio has a secret superpower!
How the Sunu wristband works
Just like a bat uses echo location to fly around in complete darkness, the Sunu wristband emits a high-frequency ultrasound wave that bounces off objects it encounters. Considering the strength of reflected waves, the band produces a vibration that¡¯s stronger or weaker depending on how close or far away the object is, thus alerting a blind person on how to navigate their surrounding.
"I feel much more confident moving around these spaces where normally, instead of walking faster, I¡¯d be like, ¡®Uh, where am I going?¡¯¡± Albertorio told MIT Technology Review while easily navigating around the busy streets of downtown Mountain View, California.
Sunu smartband
The Sunu band has clearly had a massive impact on Albertorio's life. And his hope is that it can be useful to others who are blind or visually impaired as well. There around 1.2 crore blind people in India, and around 3.9 crore around the world. The Sunu wristband is available for $299, which is about Rs 19,000 -- it needs to become cheaper to have wider impact, though.