Turkish company wins UK royal innovation award at disability week

WeWALK’s patented smart cane, exported to over 60 countries, receives governmental support in nations like Germany, Australia and the U.S., offering it free to visually impaired individuals

WeWALK, a company established in Türkiye and exporting smart canes for the visually impaired to more than 60 countries, has earned the U.K. Royal Society Innovation Award.

Every year, from May 10 to 16, “Disability Week” is celebrated to create awareness and provide solutions to the problems faced by disabled citizens. Turkish entrepreneurs are also producing technological solutions to make the lives of disabled citizens easier.

Germany, Australia and US provide WeWalk for free

Kursat Ceylan, co-founder of WeWALK, stated that they develop technological products for the full and equal participation of visually impaired individuals in social life, mentioning that they are established in Türkiye with offices in London and New York.

Ceylan explained that they have developed technologies to change the lives of over 250 million visually impaired people worldwide.

Highlighting that the patented technology smart cane has been exported to more than 60 countries so far, Ceylan mentioned that the smart cane is supported by the government in countries like Germany, Australia, and the U.S. and is provided to visually impaired individuals for free.

Ceylan stated that its smart cane technology has been awarded the U.K. Royal Innovation Award in the innovation category.

“We will receive the UK Royal Innovation Award as WeWALK at the ceremony to be held at Windsor Castle. While our initiative changes the lives of the visually impaired, it will also continue to represent our country worldwide,” he said. 

‘Just like a magic wand’

Talking about the new version of the smart cane with a specially developed voice assistant for the visually impaired, Ceylan said: “Thanks to this voice assistant, visually impaired individuals move more safely and independently, and the latest version of the smart cane offers a much more precise obstacle detection experience with its advanced technology.”

Ceylan highlighted the functionality of the smart cane, mentioning that it provides navigation support while walking on the road. They noted that the cane offers information about nearby restaurants, stores, cafes, and public transportation, allowing users to manage their transportation process directly through the cane by speaking commands. This integration of artificial intelligence makes advanced technology accessible to visually impaired individuals, empowering them with a tool that functions like a magic wand for interacting with their surroundings.

Source: Newsroom