Wearable Tech: Gadgets to uplift the differently-abled

Wearable technology is changing the world, mostly, for the better. It means you can track your runs and workouts more efficiently than ever before, you can pay for groceries with a ring or wristband, and keep safe via various personal alarm services. That’s great, but it pales in comparison to the improvements that various wearables can bring to people with disabilities. A growing number of devices and gadgets richly enhance life for those with physical disabilities.

Lechal Footwear

Lechal insoles offer multiple advantages. They slip easily into any pair of shoes, offering a form of tactile GPS system. Turn by turn instructions are relayed through simple vibrations within the insoles. While it’s a fun novelty for many, ensuring you won’t be overly focused on your phone while finding somewhere, it’s a fantastic innovation for the visually impaired. Lechal gives you a heads up on when to turn around and how to get back on track. That instantly boosts one’s independence, especially when dealing with an unknown part of the world.

OrCam

OrCam is a pair of spectacles with a difference. On the side of their frame is a small camera that ensures OrCam is a far more powerful product than it looks. That camera enables its users to hear any text from any surface, recognize the faces of people around you, and even identify supermarket products or money. Its key aim is to enhance the independence of visually impaired people, as well as those with dyslexia, aphasia, and other related conditions. Essentially, it tackles the issue at the source, using your perspective to work out what you’re trying to identify.

Liftware

One of the most frustrating things for people with limited hand/arm mobility or tremors is being unable to do simple tasks with that limb. Being able to use a knife and fork is a key ability for retaining one’s dignity and confidence. Tremors and other issues often make it impossible to do safely. Liftware offers assistive devices that work like regular cutlery, albeit with advanced sensor and motor based technology that keeps the utensil steady at all times.

– Compiled by Ankita Das