.Lumen has developed a groundbreaking device that could revolutionize the lives of visually impaired people: a virtual seeing-eye dog. The device, worn as a headset, uses technology found in self-driving vehicles (think Nvidia GPU) to guide users around obstacles and to their destinations, both indoors and outdoors.

The company was founded by Cornel Amariei, who comes from a family with several members who have disabilities. Amariei’s personal experience with the challenges faced by people with disabilities motivated him to start .Lumen and create assistive technologies.

The virtual seeing-eye dog essentially miniaturizes the technology of a self-driving car into a headset. It uses advanced sensors and AI to create a 3D map of the environment, allowing it to identify obstacles and guide users safely. The device communicates with the user through audio messages and haptic feedback, gently pulling their head in the right direction.

It knows how to guide a person on a sidewalk, recognize stairs, and identify bumps and potholes on the road. It can also take you to specific destinations. Importantly, it does not need an internet connection or pre-mapping of the environment, making it incredibly versatile and usable anywhere.

The potential impact of this device is enormous, as .Lumen estimates there are an estimated 328 million visually impaired people worldwide. Especially considering that, according to .Lumen there are only 28,000 guide dogs globally to assist these individuals. The virtual seeing-eye dog is significantly more affordable than a traditional service dog, which can cost up to $200,000 over its lifetime. .Lumen’s device is expected to be priced at around $10,000, making it accessible to a much wider range of users.

The device is expected to be available in Europe in a few months and in the US by the end of the year. .Lumen is working to ensure that the device is covered by medical insurance in both regions.

.Lumen’s virtual seeing-eye dog has the potential to transform the lives of millions of visually impaired people, providing them with greater independence and freedom. For .Lumen, this is just one opportunity to use their underlying technology across multiple markets including outdoor augmented reality, delivery robots, and humanoid robots.

Giving Autonomy to This Human – A Brief Test

In this brief demonstration, .Lumen’s Dr. Robert Gutt oversees this reporter’s brief test of their glasses that help the blind navigate the world without a seeing-eye dog. Using the same principles as an autonomous vehicle, .Lumen gently guides the user through vibrations on the forehead. One only has to center the vibrations to establish a direction.

The tutorial given by the voice in the glasses was short; measured in minutes. The voice capability coupled with its sensor means it will have abilities that a seeing-eye dog would never have, such as reading a label or a sign.