Bedivere

Bedivere is a self-propelled robotic guide that leads from the front, so that people who are blind or have low vision can walk to their destinations safely on their own. Getting started takes nothing more than speaking a destination and taking hold of the handle; from there, Bedivere moves at its user's walking pace. The ring-shaped handle carries every change of direction and speed straight to the user's hand, so even first-time users can follow along easily after a brief orientation. On the move, Bedivere's own bio-inspired AI vision, robust even in unstructured environments, scans a full 270 degrees in real time, responding swiftly to sudden hazards and slowing or stopping when needed to protect the user. Its route is synced just once, at departure; from then on, it navigates using its onboard systems without relying on a network connection, so a dropped signal never interrupts guidance. With no dedicated infrastructure to install, rehabilitation and care facilities can put Bedivere to work right away, and it suits shared, facility-level operation as well as personal use. Bedivere keeps proving itself in real-world use through trials with community rehabilitation centers and schools for the blind across Korea, and with the San Francisco nonprofit LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.