Problem Formulation

Blind people can be more easily snuck up on due to their decreased spatial awareness. There should be a way to notify them about approaching obstacles or surprises that could potentially harm them.

Blind people that are getting used to using a cane to move around might not always tap or feel an obstacle on their side, putting them at a heightened risk of injury.

Statement - Restatement -> Determining the real problem as opposed to the stated problem

• • Our real problem is that it is difficult for those with blindness to navigate through everyday life.

  • Some simple boundaries that we have is that we do not have a way to simply fix blindness for those afflicted with it and that we cannot replace the conventional walking stick.

  • Our goal is to enable those who are blind to be able to walk around the outside world with comfort and confidence that they know where they are and what they are doing.

Present State - Desired State

• • Currently, there are around 39 million blind people around the world. Guide dogs are generally seen as the most effective, but the price of one is averaging anywhere from twenty to thirty thousand dollars, making them unobtainable to many who could benefit. Although canes are relatively cheap, only about 2-8% of blind people use them as their means of safely navigating. A major contribution to the low usage percentage is the hard learning curve and the minimal amount of awareness granted by the arc of the cane. In an ideal world, people would be able to more easily learn how to manuever while using a cane, while also gaining a level of increased spacial awareness.

  • Our present state is that many blind people have a hard time moving around due to their disability and can sometimes be unaware of their surroundings.

  • The desired state is when people who are using our product can sufficiently move around on their own.