I seem to agree with Rajesh. I'm not sure how this is such a revolutionary invention. except for vibratory feedback in the shoe, which is not such a real big deal, what is the USP for this product? Divyanshu
On 4/16/12, Asudani, Rajesh <rajeshasud...@rbi.org.in> wrote: > I have not witnessed the prototype. > However, I have a query: > If the shoe only relies or integrates GPS technology, then it is not better > than the voice navigation from a cell phone. > It should, in my opinion, combine GPS technology with sensors which assist > in outdoor or indoor walking by assisting us gauge the obstacles and avoid > them. > It would do even if sensors for obstacles of all the levels from earth > to about chest height, are embedded ins shoes and phones do the GPS work. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: accessindia-boun...@accessindia.org.in > [mailto:accessindia-boun...@accessindia.org.in] On Behalf Of Asudani, Rajesh > Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 1:43 PM > To: accessindia@accessindia.org.in > Subject: [AI] Haptic shoe shows them the way > > The hindu Scitech > Deepa Kurup > > Street-smart innovation: Called 'Le Chal' (Hindi for 'take me there'), > 24-year-old Anirudh Sharma's shoe-smartphone combination is a simple > navigation aide. > Having landed a much-sought-after job at the research lab of a leading > global IT major, fresh out of college, Anirudh Sharma was working on > cutting-edge product technologies. But what really drove him was something > he was doing on the side, in his own time, over weekly offs and after hours, > burning the proverbial midnight oil: developing a shoe that he hoped would > transform the lives of millions of visually impaired people. > The drive > Last month, when Mr. Sharma's work with the haptic shoe prototype was > recognised by the MIT Technology Review, which featured him in a global list > of top innovators and accorded him the title of 'Indian Innovator of the > Year', he knew that he was on the right track, technology-wise. > Yes, it would open up new windows, offer more traction for his work, and > help spread the word. But what really enthuses the 24-year-old is the > feedback, the enthusiasm and the joy he saw on the faces of the visually > impaired people who tried out the prototype of his invention at an > accessibility summit he attended in New Delhi. > "When they told us that a product like this could indeed work for them, and > change the quality of their lives, I knew I was on the right track," he > says, visibly excited and eager to talk about this experience. > When Mr. Sharma decided that he wanted to make a product that could > potentially improve the quality of some lives, he stumbled upon the fact > that there were few practical technological aides for people with > disabilities. Technology is yet to touch their lives, or make things easier > in the way it should, he points out, adding that even existing technologies > for the visually impaired are hugely obtrusive, cumbersome (using voice > feedback devices that are tough to handle or camera goggles). > Mr. Sharma's endeavour with the haptic shoe-based technology was to solve > this problem. > Called 'Le Chal' (which means 'take me there' in Hindi), his shoe-smartphone > combination is a simple navigation aide. > The shoe is embedded with hardware (an Arduino circuit board laid out in the > sole region of the shoe and vibrating actuators on all sides of the sole). > This embedded electronics layer is connected via Bluetooth to a smartphone > that sits comfortably in the pocket of the user. Most of the number > crunching, processing and computation that makes the navigation possible > happens here, on the GPS-enabled smartphone. Simple vibrations are the > language the device uses to communicate instructions to the user. > How it works > So, at the outset, the user speaks into the mobile phone: spelling out his > current location, and his destination. Once the instructions are given, the > smartphone app (currently developed on the Android platform, and yet to be > released in app stores as the product is still in the prototype stage) > fetches detailed Google maps and charts out the directions. > Since the app is in sync with the shoe, these directions are conveyed to the > software layers embedded in the shoe. So when the user starts on the > journey, every time his GPS coordinates change, the software computations > are made and conveyed to the user in the form of vibrations. > For instance, if the user must turn left, the vibration actuators on the > left side of his shoe start working. The length of the vibrations vary > depending on the overall proximity from the destination, that is weak > vibrations in the beginning and incrementally longer at the end of the > navigation task; this is, of course, to alert the user about a possible turn > in advance, Mr. Sharma explains. > Superbly simple > What's impressive about the prototype is its simplicity. Mr. Sharma, who was > gunning for a tech intervention that would be as unobtrusive and intuitive > as possible, says the hardware is fairly low-cost and the circuitry simple. > For "obvious business reasons", Mr. Sharma doesn't reveal (his start-up has > applied for two patents on the technology) more details of the technology > that layers the sole of his haptic shoe. However, he explains that the > circuitry is simple and makes use of low-cost readily available components. > In fact, Mr. Sharma says, currently he and his team (most hackers he's > hiring on contract for the coding) are working on coming up with a prototype > that will hopefully even eliminate the need for a smartphone, using a > simpler GPS-enabled gadget instead. > Cost concerns > His business associate, a technologist-cum-patents lawyer, Krisplan > Lawrence, says he is focussing on the patents bit, as a lot of innovation in > India goes unnoticed because of "the lack of focus on IP". > However, as far as technology goes for the disability sector, the real > hurdle is cost. Most proprietary technologies - even simple optical readers > or speech-to-text convertors - are hugely expensive. > Most visually impaired persons who do use these technologies for simple > tasks such as navigating the Web complain that tech aides are simply > unaffordable, with something like a simple reader costing over Rs. 60,000 to > Rs. 1 lakh. > While Mr. Sharma feels it is too early to speculate on what the costs would > be, he says he is conscious of this huge price impediment. > He hopes his product, when it is out, would cost much lesser than existing > interventions, "perhaps, a few thousands", he says. > "We are working very hard to ensure that the gadgetry we use is as low-cost > as it can be. And every choice we make, we are conscious of the fact that > our ultimate reward will be when thousands of people will be able to use it, > and hopefully, lead a more independent and better quality life." > > > With thanks and regards > > > > (Rajesh Asudani) > Assistant General Manager > Reserve Bank of India > Nagpur > Cell: 9420397185 > o: +91 712 2806846 > R: 2591349 > > (In youth you want things, and then in middle-age you want to want them.) > > > ________________________________ > Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are > addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, > review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in > this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. 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