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Biped.ai, previously known as SoundMap, is a Switzerland-based technology company specializing in developing products for people with vision impairments. It was founded in 2021 and is located in Lausanne. Biped.ai's product is a smart navigation harness for people with vision impairments so they can move through public spaces. There have been more than 250 beta testers for it, and it has been developed through six prototypes.
How Biped works
Biped.ai's smart harness product is called biped. It is meant to be worn on the shoulders by people who are blind or visually impaired to help guide them through places safely. The company states the harness can be worn in addition to using a white cane or guide dog. The device uses similar technology to that used for self-driving vehicles. It is equipped with a camera on the left side of the harness and a small computer on the right side. The battery to operate it is located behind the neck and can be used for up to six hours.
Biped uses short sounds to indicate to the wearer that there are obstacles near or around them. Obstacles could be a number of objects, such as branches, holes, vehicles, and other pedestrians. The device also comes with headphones so the wearer can hear the alert sounds and GPS instructions for navigation.
Biped can be used for free during a trial period of thirty days. After that, users can pay for it via a monthly subscription of approximately $129 per month. After paying for the product for thirty-six months, the user then owns it and can keep it forever.
