[Nfbnet-members-list] Fwd: The BuzzClip: 15 Days Left for Pre-Orders
David Andrews
dandrews at visi.com
Fri Nov 6 04:09:38 UTC 2015
I have been asked to circulate the below
message. I am doing so so that you just get one
copy, not a bunch on a bunch of our lists.
Dave
>Hi Everyone,
>
>We are a start-up company based in Toronto
>called iMerciv and we wanted to let people know
>about the development of our new product that
>caters to the orientation and mobility needs of
>those living with vision loss. The device has
>been street tested and very well received by
>blind and low vision communities in Canada hence
>our excitement to let your members know about
>it. The newly launched BuzzClip is a small and
>discreet wearable device that helps those living
>with vision loss with day to day traveling by
>detecting obstacles in oneâs immediate
>environment and then notifying the wearer of
>these obstacles through intuitive vibrations. It
>uses ultrasound to detect any obstacle it is
>pointing at and vibrates faster and stronger as
>the obstacle/person gets closer.
>
>The BuzzClip is an electronic device that offers
>upper body protection that is sometimes missed
>by a guide dog or cane. It is not meant to be a
>replacement for the cane or a guide dog rather
>it is supposed to work in tandem with
>traditional aids to provide the user more
>information on their surroundings, particularly
>at head level. The BuzzClip can be easily
>attached to many forms of clothing (i.e it can
>be clipped on a lapel of a winter jacket, on a
>collar, sleeves (long or short) and the lining
>of oneâs belt) making it a highly versatile and useful device.
>
>There have indeed been many proximity detectors
>that came out over the years. And the earlier
>ones definitely caused a lot of frustration as
>the functionality and reliability were far from
>advertised. But we have been working closely and
>testing our prototypes every step of the way
>with blind and partially sighted testers in
>Canada, the U.S and India. Although we do use
>the same ultrasonic technology, the technology
>has become much more refined over the years.
>Also The Buzzclip is not just another ultrasonic
>proximity detector. The fact that it is wearable
>and hands free makes it applicable in a lot more
>use cases. Some of our testers have been using
>it in line ups at coffee shops to determine when
>the line is moving forward. Some of them have
>been using it as a way finder in tight spaces or
>crowded rooms by walking in the directions where
>the Buzzclip doesn't detect anything. Some have
>found it useful as they would be able to tell if
>the person they are conversing with got up to
>get water and when they get back. It provides
>extra information on one's surroundings
>passively and users are constantly finding new
>ways to use this extra information.
>
>The BuzzClip is currently available to pre-order
>through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.
>For the next 15 days, we are offering Early Bird
>BuzzClips at a discounted price of $129 USD.
>After this campaign ends on November 22nd, the
>final batch of BuzzClips will be manufactured
>and shipped to our supporters by March of 2016.
>More information/videos on our product can be
>found here:
><https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-buzzclip-wearable-ultrasound-for-the-blind/x/11673979#/>https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-buzzclip-wearable-ultrasound-for-the-blind/x/11673979#/
>
>The link above is our Indiegogo page address and
>Indiegogo is one of the largest Crowdfunding
>websites in the world that is based in the United States just like Kickstarter.
>If you have any difficulty navigating through
>the campaign page, the Indiegogo app on the
>iphone is completely accessible and incase you
>want to order an Early Bird BuzzClip, here is
>the direct link to place an order:
><https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-buzzclip-wearable-ultrasound-for-the-blind/contributions/new/#/contribute?perk_amt=129&perk_id=3095246>https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-buzzclip-wearable-ultrasound-for-the-blind/contributions/new/#/contribute?perk_amt=129&perk_id=3095246
> You can also hear our spotlight interview on
> Cool Blind Tech as well as on Blind Bargains Qast 39 for more info.
>
>A lot of effort was put into optimizing the user
>experience of the device. Limiting it to 1m and
>2m modes reduces false positives and only
>provides vibratory feedback if there are
>obstacles or people in your path or coming
>directly at you. The device goes to sleep if you
>are at a fixed distance for over a few seconds
>so that it doesn't constantly vibrate if you are
>talking to someone for example. It reactivates
>again if the distance changes for more than 10
>cm. So once it is switched on, the user can
>simply carry on their usual routine without the
>need to operate the device constantly. The
>battery will last for a full days use (10 hours)
>on a single charge and it is rechargeable
>through a Micro-USB cable. (just like android phones)
>
>The Buzzclip is slightly larger than a lighter.
>The enclosure is made entirely of aluminum so
>that it is water resistant and durable and also
>very aesthetically pleasing. The device consists
>of 3 main sections, a sensor arm that is
>circular and smaller than the size of an iPod
>nano in terms of area. It is connected to the
>battery enclosure by a metallic spring clip that
>is similar to the ones on pocket knifes and
>multi-tools. The main body is rectangular with
>rounded edges and is roughly the size of a
>lighter. The micro-USB charging port is on the
>side of the main body. On the back of the main
>body is the vibration motor arm which is
>spring-loaded for when one is wearing loose
>clothing. The entire unit has a finish that is
>similar to the look and feel of the Apple TV
>remote. When it is worn, the only part that will
>be exposed is the circular sensor arm.
>
>Hope this information helps and is useful to
>some of you. If you have any questions for us,
>we would be happy to answer them.
>The Founders names are Bin Liu and Arjun Mali
>and you can reach them at +1 (647) 919 6565 for
>Bin and +1 (647) 919 9269 for Arjun.
>You can also contact us at <mailto:info at imerciv.com>info at imerciv.com
>
>Thank You & Best Regards,
>
>Arjun Mali
>Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer
>iMerciv Inc.
>Email:
><mailto:arjunmali at imerciv.com>arjunmali at imerciv.com
>. Phone: (647)-919-9269 . <http://www.imerciv.com>www.imerciv.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
E-Mail: dandrews at visi.com or david.andrews at nfbnet.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbnet-members-list_nfbnet.org/attachments/20151105/ddd684f2/attachment.html>
More information about the NFBNet-Members-List
mailing list