Ikotek Helps Artha France Improve Autonomy for Blind and Visually Impaired People
14 Agosto 2024 - 8:57AM
Business Wire
Ikotek, the USA-headquartered global provider of original design
manufacturing (ODM) for IoT, has announced a new partnership with
Artha France, a specialist in inventing products for the visually
impaired and blind. Artha France, winner of first prize at the Le
Concours Lépine 2024, aims to revolutionize the lives of the
visually impaired through its technology. Users will be able to
gain valuable autonomy through navigating their surroundings
safely, able to detect obstacles and people on the street, even
confidently returning a handshake with those who greet them.
Under the agreement, Ikotek has developed a new device to assist
visually impaired and blind users in navigating the outside world.
The device consists of a mini-camera, 3D sensors and audio
enablement and is clipped onto the user’s glasses, communicating
the user’s 3D environment in haptic language.
The mini-camera connects via USB-C to a lumbar belt worn by the
user which communicates the images onto the user’s back via small
taps generated by the haptic belt. This provides a tactile
perception of the user’s environment thanks to built-in
intelligence. The device needed to have a small form factor and
adaptable mounting design to enable it to fit onto users’ ordinary
glasses frames. Key requirements included high computing power,
support for extremely high frame rate video as well as inputs for
specific interfaces with specialist sensors.
Ikotek has created a tailored design that utilizes Quectel’s new
generation of flagship Android smart module SG885G-WF. This ensures
all the features of the final product can be enabled, bringing
together the 3D sensors, a microphone, a directional speaker, a
USB-C socket and three buttons to control the glasses-mounted
device. The device also uses Quectel’s LC76C GNSS module and
associated antennas for positioning.
“It has been great to work with Ikotek which really understood
our needs to package the mini camera effectively to have a small
form factor and accommodate all our required components into the
device,” said Rémi du Chalard, Artha France. “We now have an
elegant, simple-to-use device that will swiftly become intuitive
for our customers to operate. We’re delighted to bring greater
autonomy to users.”
With five years of research and development effort put into the
system by Artha France, the belt features a battery that can run
for up to eight hours at a time and can be worn directly over a
layer of clothing. The belt and the camera are supported by the
Artha France application which allows users to develop completely
new perceptions of their environments, gain autonomy in their
travels and improve their day-to-day safety. More than 200 testers
have been convinced of the effectiveness of the system, the firm
says, reporting that its testers have covered more than 100km
autonomously.
“We’re proud to have assisted Artha France in bringing its
system to market to help visually impaired and blind people,” said
Joe Peterson, CEO, Ikotek. “It has been a stimulating challenge to
meet the device’s requirements for small form factor and low weight
while also accommodating the 3D sensors, audio components, control
buttons and USB-C socket. Ensuring an AI-ready, future-proof device
has been developed is a satisfying outcome and we look forward to
seeing Artha France customers benefit from this new
technology.”
About Ikotek USA, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, California, Ikotek’s core focus is
on the enterprise market as it looks to develop ODM solutions to
take full advantage of IoT, covering technologies from cellular
connectivity, including NB-IoT and 5G, to satellite connections and
from well-established IT to relative newcomers such as artificial
intelligence IoT (AIoT).
For more information: www.ikotek.com or LinkedIn
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