Zero Project, Day One: Travel Tales & Lumen

In this episode of Double Tap, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece are live from Vienna at the Zero Project Conference. They kick things off with a casual chat about their travel experiences and the ease of using assistance services at airports, making their journey surprisingly smooth. They joke about their hopes for finding chocolate in Austria and share their excitement about being at the conference, which brings together people from all over the world to discuss innovations for people with disabilities. The main topic of discussion is an interview with Cornel Amariei, the CEO of Dot Lumen, who has developed glasses that aim to empower individuals who are blind by providing a technological alternative to guide dogs. The glasses use self-driving technology to guide users around obstacles, providing haptic feedback on the forehead to indicate the direction to move. Cornel explains that while the glasses can technically replace a guide dog or white cane, they are not intended to compete with them but rather to offer an additional option for those who may not have access to or want a guide dog. Shaun gets the opportunity to test the Lumen glasses and shares his initial impressions, expressing surprise at how intuitive and responsive the device is. He likens the experience to using 3D audio navigation but with haptic feedback. The conversation turns to the challenges of gaining users' trust with new technology, especially when it comes to replacing tried-and-true mobility aids like the white cane. Keep in touch by emailing us at [email protected] or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us on social media.