Electronic Cane Grip Instrumented with Thermal Haptic Feedback

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Overview

The invention uses thermal haptic elements that offers thermal feedback on the white-cane grip which can be programmed to be useful for navigation as well as other notifications from a connected smartphone or nearby by surrounding devices to obtain a sense of directional cues or notifications on the move.

  • Electronic Cane Grip Instrumented with Thermal Haptic Feedback 0
  • Electronic Cane Grip Instrumented with Thermal Haptic Feedback 1
Commercialisation opportunities
technology licensing agreement
Problem addressed

With the device, visually-impaired users can rely less on audio-based navigational instructions for navigation and are able to listen to the ambient noises.

Innovation
  • It uses distinct hot and cold cues on discrete parts of the cane handle to notify the visually-impaired users for taking turns, including stop and go instructions, and leverages the navigational data as input from the GPS apps on wirelessly connected devices such as a smartphone or smartwatch.
  • The cane grip can be programmed for obtaining other notifications from a connected smartphone or nearby devices.
Key impact
  • Easily integrate on ordinary white-cane for visually impaired people.
  • Able to exhibit various thermal patterns depending on the input or pre-set parameters for different users.
  • Provides different levels of notifications with distinct intensities and patterns to guide the users with their navigation directions, alarms and other smartphone notifications.
Award
  • Bronze Medal at Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days 2021
Application
  • The device has potential applications aiding the visually impaired people in navigation and get smartphone notifications on the go.

Patent

  • US patent: US17/367,868
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)

As one of the fastest growing universities in the world over the past decade, City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is recognised as a hub for innovation in research and professional education. CityU identifies solutions to critical global challenges by extending the frontiers of knowledge both within and beyond existing research paradigms.

The University’s highly qualified academics are drawn from all over the world, not only bringing a wealth of research and professional experience to the teaching programmes, but also contributing to the knowledge and technology advancement.

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