The UltraCane is an electronic mobility aid for use by visually impaired people that delivers a "step forward" in assistive mobility aids.

The original concept for the UltraCane was developed at a leading UK university. The developers were adamant that vision impaired people were to be involved at every stage of the development process. In the earliest days of the development, a team of 20 vision impaired volunteers came to help and provide input. They told the developers exactly what they wanted from the UltraCane, and the developers worked hard to incorporate their ideas into the product.

The UltraCane gives mobility assistance to blind and partially-sighted people by emitting ultrasonic waves, just like the echolocation system used by bats and dolphins.  In fact, it was from the knowledge and understanding of bats that the UltraCane was first developed.  The bat emits an ultrasonic pulse and times how long it takes for the echo to return.  By its implicit knowlege of the velocity of sound in air, the bat is able to calculate the distance to the object.  This knowledge has been transferred to the UltraCane, which works in a similar way.

Ultrasonic waves are emitted through two transducers on the handle of the UltraCane and bounce off objects and obstructions in the path of the user. 
 
The UltraCane has two ranges to choose from: a short range mode, which detects obstacles within approximately 2 metres of the handle, and a long range mode, which detects obstacles within 4 metres of the handle.  The upper transducer can locate objects approximately 1.6 metres from the handle. 

Feeback on obstacles is provided through two vibrating buttons located on the handle. These indicate the proximity of the object, and whether it is low down and in front of the user, or whether it is at or above head height.  This tactile feedback provides the user with much more detailed information about potential dangers ahead than is possible with a traditional white cane. It is particularly useful for warning of hazards at head height.

The UltraCane gives the user more knowledge about their environment and enables them to make decisions much more quickly, thus allowing them to move around more confidently and effectively.

For more information click this link to go to the UltraCane Website