Inspired by virtual reality gaming consoles, a British university student has developed a hand-held robotic guide dog, called Theia, that can offer guidance and mobility freedom for blind people who are unable to have a guide dog.
“The intention was never to replace guide dogs but instead to provide alternative ways of giving enhanced mobility options to visually impaired people who are unable to have a guide dog or need a more affordable solution,” said Theia’s creator, industrial design and technology student Anthony Camu from Loughborough University in Leicestershire.
The portable and concealable handheld device guides users through outdoor environments and large indoor spaces with very little user input, using gyroscope technology to pull the user in the correct direction, said Camu adding the experience feels a little like holding a dog’s lead or a friend’s elbow.
