Ara

 

Ara is a smart wearable device for the blind and vision impaired. It is designed with an array of sensors (5 ultrasonic sensors, 3 LiDAR sensors) that detect and alert you, through haptics (10 haptic actuators), on upcoming upper, mid, and lower body obstacles.

 

Can be used as a stand-alone mobility device or together with a white cane or Guide Dog, .

 

It is warn similar to that of a chest harness for a smart phone with the device itself being in the middle of your body. There are then straps going around the sides, and over the shoulders which contain the sensors besides securing the device to the body.

 

In the device itself, there are 3 ultrasound sensors and 1 LIdAR sensor for mid body, 1 ultrasound and 2 LIdAR sensor for lower body, and 1 ultrasound sensor for upper body.

 

The haptic actuators are located 6 in the main device, 1 on either side of the chest, and 1 on either side of the upper chest.

 

The haptic actuators on either side of the chest activate for lower body, upper chest for upper body, and the main device for middle body.

 

User can toggle between cane/Guide Dog mode (bottom sensors haptic feedback turned off) or non cane mode where all sensors are giving haptic feedback.

 

When walking slow, 60CMS obstacle detection, mid pace 1.2M, and brisk pace 2M. These obstacle detection distance settings can not be changed, and are based upon the speed of walking.

 

By plugging in headphones, a learning mode can be activated to onboard the user to the use of Ara.

 

Besides toggling between cane and non cane mode and the learning mode, the user can also activate by a combination of button press’s automatic shut off, turning on and off the device, resetting, updating the device etc.

 

Updating the device is via WPS at the moment, with this to change hopefully in the future as not all routers have the WPS feature.

 

Besides the sensors, ARa has a menu button on the left, volume up/down rocker on the right, and top power button. There is also a USBC port on the bottom, and just above the volume rocker a 3.5MM head phone jack to currently listen to the onboarding learning mode.

 

Battery life will last for a hole day of use with 4 hours to recharge.

 

The unit is not water proof.

 

Currently, the LIDAR sensors for bottom obstacle detection are not active, and obstacle detection will not be that well defined: eg LIDAR more accurate than ultrasonic.

 

Until a week ago, price for Ara was $750 USD, now gone up to $990 USD. 

 

For more information or to purchase, goto:

 

https://strap.tech

 

 

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