Smart shoes to assist visually impaired persons
Austrian medical device manufacturer, Tec-Innovation have developed a ‘smart shoe’ called the InnoMake which aims to make navigating public spaces safer for persons who are visually impaired by warning them of obstacles in their route.
The ‘smart shoe’ comes with metal tracks, on which the electronic sensor unit can be affixed on the front of the shoe. The sensor unit, which is contained in a water and dust proof casing, includes distance sensors, a vibration unit, an ultra-bright LED, as well as sensors for detecting foot movements and wireless capabilities to connect to a smartphone.
As the user manoeuvres through a space, the smart shoes detect obstacles and send a warning through three selected feedback options:
- Vibration feedback provided directly in the shoe
- Acoustic feedback provided wirelessly through a smartphone
- Visual feedback provided through LED lights on the shoe
The InnoMake smart shoes were approved as a medical device in September 2020 and are available on the Tec-Innovation website.
You can find further information on InnoMake Smart Shoes here
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