Things to Consider If You See Someone Wearing Shoes

The InnoMake is a breakthrough sneaker designed by Austrian computer scientists that lets blind people walk without bumping against objects. The shoes were manufactured by the Graz University of Technology and an Austrian business named Tec-Innovation, and they cost more than $3,000.

A 13-foot-range waterproof ultrasonic sensor on the toe of every InnoMake shoe detects impediments. The user is alerted as they approach objects by sounds and vibrations. The technique is comparable to automotive parking sensors.

The blind co-founder of Tec-Innovation, Markus Raffer, commended its practicality, saying, “This works very well and is already a great help to me personally.”

Every foot has a unique sensor, which may be integrated into the shoe or added later. These sensors can even distinguish between objects such as automobiles, walls, and stairs, allowing you to get the appropriate notifications.

Tec-Innovation aims to enhance the usability of InnoMake by incorporating machine learning and camera-based identification into its design. A “street view navigation map” could be available in the future to assist other users.

“They use camera images from the foot perspective to find an area that is free of obstacles and safe to walk on, and they can recognize and tell the difference between objects,” TU Graz’s Friedrich Fraundorfer stated.

With InnoMake, people with limited vision or blindness may be able to move around more safely and freely, which might be extremely beneficial.