According to the WHO, 2.2 billion people have some kind of visual impairment.

Many of them face significant challenges in everyday mobility, which often leads to accidents and injuries. For centuries, people with visual impairment have used canes as mobility tools. While technology has rapidly evolved, the white cane has not changed at all. Ara is an innovative assistive device designed for visually impaired individuals. It leverages real-time sensor information to detect obstacles at various levels (head, chest, and below the waist), alerting users via haptic vibrations. A new sense for self-navigation, autonomy and freedom.

Developed in Mexico, where daily mobility poses a significant challenge and risk for the blind and visually impaired, Ara emerged as a pivotal solution to one of their major barriers: autonomy and independence. Sidewalks often lack consistent urban design, featuring large gaps, holes, bumps, and varying heights, while trees and vegetation encroach on pathways, complicating mobility. Streets generally lack safe crossing infrastructure, and the prevalent driving culture heightens pedestrian risks. Additionally, public transportation systems do not adequately alert users to bus stops or help identify buses, challenging independent travel.

Despite these localized challenges, Ara's design transcends geographical boundaries. Its haptic feedback system effectively eliminates language barriers, making it a universally applicable technology. This adaptability ensures that Ara's innovative solution to mobility and independence smoothly transfers across cultures worldwide, addressing both the specific navigational challenges in Mexico and similar obstacles faced by visually impaired individuals globally. The introduction of Ara, therefore, is not just timely for Mexico but holds significant relevance for various cultural and market conditions around the world, highlighting its universal applicability and impact.

Ara's evolution aligns closely with advancements in autonomous driving technology, particularly in adapting lidar and ultrasonic sensors for human use. Once unsuitable for wearables due to size, power, and cost constraints, these sensors have significantly improved, becoming compact, efficient, and economically viable. This enables their integration into our discreet, wearable device, prioritizing user empowerment and hands-free navigation while addressing the need for autonomy without the conspicuousness of traditional aids. Privacy concerns are addressed by avoiding invasive technologies like cameras. The product is priced under 2,000.00 USD MSRP.

Thanks to the rapid evolution of autonomous car technology over the last 5-8 years, for the first time ever, "off-the-shelf" technology such as sensors and microprocessors now have the capabilities to enable this mobility aid technology. Four years ago, this tech would not have been possible to accomplish.

* Ara's budget information can be found on the Confidential Information Section of the case.

Ara focuses on enhancing the safety and independence of the visually impaired as a wearable device designed to navigate obstacles. Recognizing the importance of sound as a sensory input for the blind, our solution eschews audio signals, opting for haptic feedback instead. The intention is to deliver an unobtrusive, user-friendly navigation aid that respects users' existing sensory dependencies and preferences.

The design concept acknowledges the diverse ways in which users utilize mobility aids, ensuring that Ara functions independently or alongside other aids, seamlessly integrating into users' lifestyles without requiring adaptation.

Moreover, Ara embodies innovation through its scalability. It operates without continuous connectivity yet can receive updates to enhance its capabilities, representing a harmonious fusion of self-sufficiency and technological advancement. This strategic approach positions Ara as a versatile and future-proof companion for the visually impaired community.

Ara's Key Dates

March 2023 to Now – Official Launch and Product Fulfillment

March 2023 to Now – Branding, PR & Digital Communications Impementation

February 2023 - Scalable Manufacturing

August 2022 – First Patent Granted

June 2022 - Product Validation Test

May 2022 – Pre-Launch

December 2021 – Engineering Validation Test

June 2021 - Engineering Prototype

April 2021 - Alpha Prototype

November 2020 - Proof of concept

Strap Tech's Ara device revolutionizes mobility for the visually impaired by integrating lidar and ultrasonic sensors with AI for intuitive navigation. The technology operates in three steps:

Step 1: Data Capture - Sensing the World

Ara employs an array of sensors, including upward-facing ultrasonic sensors for overhead navigation and side-mounted ultrasonics and forward-facing lidar and ultrasonics for comprehensive coverage. Dual lidar sensors angled downwards, along with an additional ultrasonic sensor, detect low-level obstacles.

Step 2: Data Analysis - Making Sense of It All

Captured data undergoes instant processing by Ara's advanced AI, identifying potential obstacles and filtering out irrelevant objects.

Step 3: Communication - Translating Insights

Ara communicates environmental information through a simple haptic language, utilizing tactile actuators embedded in haptic foam on the device's rear and within the straps. This nuanced feedback system alerts users to obstacles without auditory cues.

Ara's meticulous sensor arrangement ensures consistent, reliable obstacle feedback, marking a breakthrough in navigational aids for the visually impaired. Ara is currently a final product, ready to empower users with newfound independence.

Ara by Strap Tech aims to revolutionize the lives of the visually impaired, offering seamless autonomy in mobility. Positioned to redefine assistive technology, Ara aligns with a rapidly growing industry projected to reach $14 billion by 2031, coinciding with the expected rise in visually impaired individuals to 701 million by 2050.

Ara's adaptability is showcased through its update capabilities, enhancing user navigation across 19 countries. Significant reductions in collision risk by 80% and a decrease in injury rates from 36% to 6% have been observed. Users have experienced an 11% increase in walking distance and a 19% boost in speed, illustrating profound user benefits. These key performance indicators demonstrate Ara's impact and are detailed in a study available in the supplementary materials. With $3.7M usd received in investment fueling its evolution, Ara embodies the sector's innovation, propelling us towards ensuring visual impairment is no barrier to independent living.