Company Creates InnoMake ‘Smart Shoes’ to Notify Blind People of Obstacles in Their Path

There are already smartphones and smartwatches, so why not smart shoes? Well, at least one company thought about that and how they could help the blind.

Emanuel Zuendel is mostly blind, although he can perceive light and darkness. He has used a cane to detect obstructions in his path. But the cane only reaches so far. Now he has InnoMake shoes, which detect objects up to 10 feet in front of him. 

And according to Emanuel, they make life much easier. "If I'd had a shoe like this as a child, I would have saved myself some nasty bruises."

When the shoes detect an obstacle, they send a signal to the user by vibrating or making a sound on the user’s smartphone. And Emanuel says they’ve been helpful already. 

"In winter, for example, I can better avoid the snow poles that are placed on the streets, so the shoes make it easier to walk through areas with a lot of hindrances," he explains.

The shoes are quite pricey for now, selling for more than $4,000, but they might be worth it if they make getting around a lot easier — and safer. 

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