About Us
Our Story
We often forget how fortunate we are to have the gift of sight. Our vision is essential for carrying out our daily activities and appreciating all the beauty surrounding us. From being able to read a book, driving safely on roads, or simply taking pleasure in a sunset – it's remarkable what clear vision can do for us! Regrettably, eye ailments can happen at any moment making ordinary tasks difficult. In some cases, this occurs from birth, while others may experience it due to an illness or injury.
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Blind individuals have the same capabilities and desires as anyone else, yet they cannot see. Despite how this seems in our imagination, is it that straightforward? We as a society have designed our world to serve majority groups. All those who are not considered "average," like the vision-impaired population, often struggle with customizing their environment due to them being outside of what is looked at as average by most people.
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Far too often, blind or low-vision individuals are cast into a lonely and isolated existence due to insufficient emotional support at diagnosis centers, lack of access to activities and information, societal stigma regarding their condition, and the scarcity of employment opportunities.
We must do more to include vision-impaired people in our society. This means providing them with accessible information, resources, and technologies that allow them to lead independent lives. We can also offer emotional support by better educating ourselves on vision impairments and the challenges those affected encounter daily.
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Our Story
The visually impaired have a strong sense of what is beneficial and harmful to them. Have you ever noticed someone walking around with a white cane? This type of cane allows the user to stand out more to alert nearby individuals that they cannot see very well. It also makes it easier for drivers, bikers, or anyone passing by on the street to be aware so they can be respectful and cautious when interacting with a visually impaired person.
The white cane has become a universal icon of independence and esteem for people who are blind. Yet, it does have its restrictions; large expanses or steep drops such as steps and curbs can be challenging to navigate with a regular cane. Furthermore, obstacles that are further away cannot be detected by the standard model of a cane, leaving one's upper body exposed to potential danger, like overhanging tree branches. And finally, learning how to use this tool effectively can take some time too!
For years people have endeavored to redesign the traditional cane. Countless "smart" cane inventions, trying to make a device that can recognize obstructions and undertake other tasks electronically, have been made! However, the end result of these attempts can often be devices that are more difficult for the user to operate, interfere with how a white cane naturally functions, or simply do not meet expectations.
