WeWalk presented a new version of its smart cane for visually impaired people at CES 2025bringing a redesign that fixes many of the shortcomings of the first model and adds AI features and more advanced sensors from TDK. It is positioned as an alternative to the traditional folding white cane. Co-founder Kursat Ceylan, blind since birth, says Smart Cane 2 can make mobility easier and safer, offering features such as turn-by-turn navigation and obstacle detection, as well as an assistant voice powered by ChatGPT that puts information in users’ hands on demand without them also needing to juggle a smartphone.
The WeWalk Smart Cane 2 has a thinner handle than its predecessor, which should allow for a more comfortable grip, and the company says it’s now as light as a standard white cane. It has touch-sensitive buttons for added usability, removing the previous model’s touchpad that some found difficult to use. Ceylan claims it can be used in different weather conditions, not just when it’s hot and dry (WeWalk describes the new cane as “rainwater resistant”). Battery life is approximately 20 hours.
“You can fold and unfold it whenever you need it. There is a speaker, microphone, obstacle detection technology and a flashlight to make visually impaired people more visible at night. And it also has motion sensors to provide a more precise navigation experience,” Ceylan explained.
Under the hood, the WeWalk Smart Cane 2 features an ultrasonic time-of-flight sensor, an inertial measurement unit with six-axis motion tracking, a pulse density modulated microphone, and a barometric pressure sensor from the electronics company TDK. When it detects something coming, it alerts the user with haptic and audio feedback, according to Ceylan.
He demonstrated this in the very cramped and noisy environment of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and I could hear in the crowd when the cane told him that he was approaching an obstacle – in this case, a step covered with carpet marked with yellow and black ribbon. which I saw several CES attendees stumble upon during our conversation. It can also connect to headphones via Bluetooth.
Paired with your smartphone, it can provide navigation instructions and information about your surroundings, as well as public transport options. “You can hear the names of the stores and restaurants you pass,” he says. At Starbucks, where he can’t read the menu, he says he might ask the assistant if they sell chocolate croissants.
“You no longer need to hold your smartphone when you go somewhere,” Ceylan said. “You can put it in your pocket and get all the information through your WeWalk smart cane.” There is, however, a smartphone interface for those who want to use it, which he demonstrated throughout the demo so I could see what was happening on the other end. Unlike the vast majority of products I’ve encountered at CES this year that seem to include AI or ChatGPT for no real reason other than the fact that they can, this actually seemed like a situation to me where it made sense and could even be very beneficial.
Since it’s brand new, we don’t yet know how all of this will translate into real-world usage. Pre-orders are now open for the WeWalk Smart Cane 2, and the first wave is expected to start shipping before the end of this month. There are two pricing models: $850 for the smart cane plus a subscription for the voice assistant which costs $4.99 per month, or $1,150 total with no additional subscription fees for full AI use . WeWalk Smart Cane 2 is available internationally.
The London-based startup also has a partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) that will begin in February, when the organization will begin using the WeWalk Smart Cane 2 for its cane training program. The goal is to collect meaningful data for instructors so they can truly understand how people use mobility canes (AI-enabled or not) and help them get the most out of the tools. According to Ceylan, “this is very important, because the better you move, the better you engage in life.”
Updated, January 9, 2025, 11:55 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to add details about the smart cane’s battery life.
