Indiana engineering students build wearable to help visually impaired users
Engineering students at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology have developed a wearable device to assist the visually impaired in detecting obstacles. The project uses time-of-flight LiDAR sensors to provide distance alerts without requiring internet or smartphone connectivity.
Why it matters
This low-cost, accessible technology offers a practical solution for improving mobility and independence for visually impaired individuals.
Students at the Rose Hulman Institute of Technology collaborated to create their 2026 design projects aimed at solving everyday problems to improve the lives of people around them. Among them was a team of five who built a 12-hour wearable that helps visually impaired users detect obstacles that their cane or guide dog cannot, as per the institute's website.Ethan Powell, Anica Cao, Jada Hunter-Hays, Anuj Suvarna and Rhiley Epperson worked with 1983 electrical engineering and mathematics alumnus John Marum to develop the device. The idea for a wearable assisted sight device came from Marum, founder of the non-profit company AuralVision based out of Oakland, California.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in