It all started while talking about our grandparents. One partner told us that her grandmother was blind and explained her struggle with ordinary situations such as buying in a supermarket, meeting friends or just walking. Moreover, she needed the help of a white stick and a guide dog, which decreased her own independence quite a lot. We found an innovative technology named Eyesynth* which helps blind people to orient themselves thanks to ultrasound. However, we considered that the ergonomy and ecodesign of the product could be improved, and that more functions could be added. And so was Soundsight born.

Soundsight is a product composed of Bluetooth connected glasses + nanoPC so as to avoid wires and achieve more autonomy. 

The sensors placed in the glasses receive environment information, which is sent to nanoPC to be processed. After that, the nanoPC sends a command to the piezoelectrics, which are located in the side pieces in permanent contact with the head, and ultrasound waves are transmitted to the auditory nerve through bones. 

The user can easily learn to understand and translate these waves into 3D information. Soundsight also has voice control, GPS guide, light, both traffic sign and light identification, and friends and favourite products (eg: favourite cookies brand) recognition. 

The volume of the speaker in the glasses is tunable. Graphene batteries guarantee 24h of continuous use and they are charged by induction. The induction charger works as the product case and also as its packaging. Its prismatic shape is perfect to stack Soundsight while distribution.

We got informed about different types of current technologies so as to obtain, process and then transmit the environment information to the user, and the possible batteries to use in order to avoid use of wires. Finally, we chose a glasses+NanoPC based system conected via bluetooth. Wireless means comfort, but adding batteries.

To improve design ergonomy it was necessary to research about distribution of weight all over the frame, antropometric measures, anatomy, supports for a good weight distribution, and light but resistant-to-impact materials. We did some prototipes (one of them shown below) to study these factors. Also, we interviewed blind people to know the way they interact with devices and which would be the best place to locate buttons.

About ecodesign, we have pursued to optimize the number of pieces to make, use low-environment-impact materials, reduce the number of different materials, use graphen batteries, and design a rectagular container to be used as both case and charger.

Technology allows the blind user to move hands-free around the city while using the product, which improves independence for everyday activities. Neither stick nor dog are necessary from now. Other technological products are formed with differnt elements connected with cables; they occupy too much space; they do not inform about high obstacles; or they need at least one hand to be used, reducing hands-free comfort. 

Furthermore, it features the function of favourite products recognition, helping users to do the shopping without any help from shop-assistants. It also recognizes and locate friends, which is so useful in case of emergency.

In the XXI century, we must design more and more sustainable objects, which has made us follow an eco-design methodology, considering environmental factors so as to get eco-labels and promote green marketing.