Partner Case Study Series | WeWALK

“There are approximately 250 million people around the world who are visually impaired, 50 million of whom use traditional white canes to help them get around. These are amazing tools, don’t get me wrong, but in reality very little has changed. 100 As technology has advanced over the years, things have changed dramatically, so we asked ourselves: What about white cane?

This is Jean Marc Feghali, head of R&D at the London-based startup. WeWork. WeWALK is a company dedicated to bringing modern technology to one of the most essential and widely used tools used by people with visual impairments: the traditional white long cane. “A long white cane is essential for many visually impaired people, myself included, but we saw an opportunity to enhance it through technology. By adding voice control, Bluetooth, touchpads, ultrasonic sensors, vibration, AI and more, we “We created a smart cane that can improve users’ safety, help them overcome key barriers to mobility, and ultimately contribute to creating a more equitable and accessible world.”

WeWALK Smart Wand

The WeWALK team provides assistive and adaptive technologies that help people with visual impairments eat, sleep, and breathe. The team has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by people with visual impairments, such as detecting low-hanging objects, holding a cane in one hand and navigating between apps on a phone with the other. This experience can be exhausting, frustrating, and dangerous for users.

The WeWALK story began while co-founder Kürşat Ceylan was traveling in New York. Ceylan, who has been blind since birth, was on his way from the airport to his hotel with his suitcase, smartphone and traditional white cane in his hands while speaking at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities when he collided with a person. He was injured by a pole.

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