We've interviewed makers of Smart Cane tech before on Blind Bargains, however, not many of those previous interviewees were featured in Time Magazine for tech innovation. That's why Shelly caught up with Kursat Ceylan, Cofounder of WeWalk, to discuss what sets this approach apart from others. Tune in, or read below, to find out more about the companion app and features for this mobility aid. Have you ever needed a light for night travel or a "find my cane" option? This just might be the ideal travel item for you. To learn more, or purchase the cane, visit the company's website
CSUN 2020 coverage is Brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.
For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings, access technology book reviews, and mobile apps, and how they can enhance entertainment, education and employment, log on to AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind's free, monthly, online technology magazine. Visit www.afb.org/aw.
Transcript
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Hide transcriptTranscribed By Grecia Ramirez
Direct from Anaheim, it’s blindbargains.com coverage of CSUN 2020, brought to you by AFB AccessWorld.
For the latest news and accessibility information on mainstream and access technology; Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon offerings; access technology book reviews and mobile apps and how they can enhance entertainment, education, and employment, log onto AccessWorld, the American Foundation for the Blind’s free monthly online technology magazine, www.afb.org/aw.
Now, here’s Shelly Brisbin.
Shelly Brisbin: Welcome back to Blind Bargains’ coverage of CSUN 2020. I’m Shelly Brisbin on the exhibit floor looking at a very unique product called WeWalk with Kursat.
Hello, Kursat, how are you?
Kursat Ceylan: Good, thank you.
SB: It’s nice to meet you, and welcome to Blind Bargains.
KC: Yeah. Me too.
SB: Tell me what WeWalk is.
KC: WeWalk is a smartcane developed for the visually impaired. Basically, I can describe in one sentence like that.
SB: Okay. Sounds good. So what we’re looking at is a standard white cane, but on top of it is an attachment that has some buttons on it and a speaker. And what are the things that this smartcane enables somebody to do?
KC: Maybe I can start with telling the – all features of the WeWalk and the components of the WeWalk.
SB: Okay.
KC: When we first hold the WeWalk, we will see there’s an obstacle detection sensor, and also, there’s a touchpad on it. And there’s a microphone, speaker, turn on/turn off button. Also, WeWalk has gyroscope, accelerometer, compass in itself to provide more accurate navigation experience. Also, WeWalk has both iOS and Android applications, and when you download it, you can pair with your smartphone. And with all these components, we will provide really life-changing features.
First of all, WeWalk detects obstacles at the head level. Because we already detect obstacles at the ground level with our canes, you know, when we –
SB: Uh-huh.
KC: -- touch something, we can understand, hey. Okay. There’s something. However, we cannot detect the obstacles at the head levels such as sign tables, poles, trees. Also, WeWalk can pair with our smartphones, and then, as you know, navigation technologies are making our lives really easier, but imagine as if you are blind, while you are walking in the street, you have to hold your white cane at one hand, also, you have to hold your smartphone, and also, this is so distractive situation.
SB: Sure.
KC: And that’s why we built the WeWalk that you can manage your navigation process or WeWalk’s touchpad. Okay. Maybe I can show it to you, how does it work.
So, when you turn on the WeWalk, you will hear this sound. Okay. And then, you can connect your WeWalk to your smartphone.
SB: So you’ve got an iPhone there.
KC: Yes.
SB: Running VoiceOver.
KC: Yes. This sound –
SB: So you have your connection --
KC: Yes. Connected.
SB: -- using Bluetooth, I assume.
KC: Yes.
SB: Yeah.
KC: And then, when you double-click the touchpad, the WeWalk will start to talk you.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Navigation.
Kc: “Navigation.” Like that. And then, you can reach your safe locations, and you can search your navigation, you can manage your navigation process in this option. And also –
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: What’s around me?
KC: “What’s around me?” In this option, what’s around me, while we are walking in the street, we don’t know which stores, restaurants we are passing by. And in this option, we can get information about these places.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Nearby stops.
KC: “Nearby stops.” We can reach information about the closest bus stops or metro stations. And when we arrive the bus stop, we can also reach the bus timeline information as well. Otherwise, I have to ask someone else –
SB: Right.
KC: -- hey, could you let me know when the bus arrive, et cetera.
SB: And where are you getting the information for the points of interest in the bus lines and stuff like that?
KC: WeWalk is one of the Microsoft AI for Good companies, and we are using the Microsoft infrastructure, so –
SB: Okay.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Obstacle detection.
KC: “Obstacle detection.” I can adjust the distance range.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Find my phone.
KC: “Find my phone,” you know, when I lose my smartphone, I can call my smartphone over the WeWalk. So –
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: “Sound level.”
KC: “Sound level,” I can adjust the volume of the device.
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Turn LED on.
KC: “Turn LED on.” There's a light. There’s an LED, and I can turn it on to make me more visible at night. So –
COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Navigation.
KC: And "Navigation” again. I’m at the beginning.
SB: Can we talk about the obstacle detection? How does that work? Is that vibration or voice –
KC: Yeah.
SB: -- or what?
KC: Yes. When it detects the obstacles at the head level, it vibrates, and it alerts us.
SB: Okay. So it’s only dealing with chest level, head level, it is –
KC: Yes.
SB: -- because you have a white cane, as you say, you’re dealing with steps and stuff --
KC: Yes. Yes. Exactly.
SB: -- with a cane.
KC: And, as you see, it’s foldable, and it has a rechargeable battery. It lasts for 20 hours. It makes five days --
SB: Okay.
KC: -- you know, four hours per usage. And as a good news, you know, WeWalk was selected as a Best Invention of 2019 by Time Magazine as well.
SB: Great.
KC: So we are so happy about that.
SB: So – and that attaches to an existing cane. What canes does that –
KC: Yeah. It’s with a cane –
SB: Okay.
KC: -- and we are working with Ambutech, so --
SB: So you would just take the grip off of the Ambutech cane and connect that instead?
KC: Yes. Yes.
SB: Okay.
KC: Oh. Also, we are providing the cane in our box.
SB: I see. So if I buy a WeWalk, I get the cane as well.
KC: Yes. Yes. Yeah.
SB: When is the product available?
KC: On our website, www.wewalk.io. Everyone can buy it.
SB: And what’s the cost?
KC: It costs $500.
SB: Okay. And so there’s an app for Android or app for smartphone?
KC: Yeah. Yeah.
SB: There’s an app for iOS, for Android that also is required. I see. It’s just you download once you get the product.
KC: Yes. And also, I am happy to say that we are releasing new features, and all our users can update their WeWalks free of charge.
SB: What are some of the features that you have coming along?
KC: In these days, we are working on improving our navigation technology and – for example, at the end of this month, we will release our clockwise navigation experience.
SB: Okay. So that would tell you the directions. You’re going 90 degrees, 45 degrees.
KC: Yes. Yes. Exactly.
SB: That’s cool. Okay.
KC: Yeah.
SB: Great.
KC: Yeah.
SB: Kursat, thank you for being on Blind Bargains. It was nice to talk to you.
KC: It was pleasure. Thank you.
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Category: ShowsHi! I bought one of these and here are my impressions of it and the company. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long to figure out that this company has no real experience working with the blind or visually impaired as they made a number of glaring mistakes in the design and implementation of their smart cane. The first is that they actually put a wrist strap on the handle end of the cane, if this company had had any experience at all with the VIP community, they'd have known that mobility instructors warn their students to never use that section of bungee cord sticking out of the handle of their mobility cane as a wrist strap while using the cane because if the cane should become stuck to a passing vehicle the wrist strap would pull you into traffic with it which could result in serious injury or death. The next problem I encountered was that when the smart cane is assembled, you cannot properly fold it up for storage. To do that you must remove the electronic handle from the rest of the cane, so now you have two pieces that need storing instead of just one, and unlike the dumb cane where you can use that bit of bungee cord coming out of the back end of the cane's handle to keep the cane folded up, the smart cane doesn't provide you with any way to keep it folded up when you don't need it. The provided wrist strap is no where near adequate for the task. The smart cane's grip is all wrong. When I was trained in using my mobility cane I was told that the proper grip to use was to have the flat part of the grip facing to the right and extending my index finger along it. The smart cane requires that you use a grip that has the flat part facing up and that you would extend your thumb along it instead of your index finger. This new grip can be learned, but it will put you at odds with your mobility training. The end result of all this is that it tells me that this smart cane does not have all the product testing with its intended audience that this company claims it has, so between the products many design and implementation flaws, I am going to return it and just keep using my dumb canes. Orko...
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Joe Steinkamp is no stranger to the world of technology, having been a user of video magnification and blindness related electronic devices since 1979. Joe has worked in radio, retail management and Vocational Rehabilitation for blind and low vision individuals in Texas. He has been writing about the A.T. Industry for 15 years and podcasting about it for almost a decade.
