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WeWalk introduced a new version of its smart cane for the visually impaired Cost of CES 2025bringing a redesign that eliminates many of the flaws of the first model and adds AI features and advanced sensors from TDK. It is placed as a substitute for a white curved stick. Co-founder Kursat Ceylan, who has been blind since birth, says the Smart Cane 2 can make walking easier and safer, offering features such as walking and turning and obstacle detection, as well as a voice assistant powered by ChatGPT that needs information in the hands of users without need to be able to move the smartphone as well.
The WeWalk Smart Cane 2 has a slimmer handle than its predecessor, which should provide a better grip, and the company says it’s now as light as a white cane. It has clear buttons for ease of use, eliminating the previous model’s touchpad which some people found difficult to use. Ceylan says it can be used in a variety of climates, not just hot and dry (WeWalk describes the new cane as “rainproof”). Battery life is about 20 hours.
“You can fold it and unfold it when you need it. There are speakers, microphones, obstacle detection capabilities and a flashlight to help blind people see better at night. It also has independent motion sensors to provide accurate motion information,” Ceylan explained.
Under the hood, the WeWalk Smart Cane 2 has an ultrasonic time-of-inlight sensor, an inertial measurement unit with six-axis motion tracking, a pulse density modulated microphone and a barometric pressure sensor from the TDK electronics company. When it detects something in front of it, it alerts the user with haptic and audio feedback, according to Ceylan.
He demonstrated this in the cramped, noisy space of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and I could hear over the crowd when a stick told him he was approaching an obstacle – in this case, a step marked with yellow and black tape. which I saw several CES attendees stumble upon during our discussion. It can also connect to headphones via Bluetooth.
Combined with your smartphone, it can provide you with driving directions and information about your surroundings, as well as public transport. He said: “You hear the names of the shops and restaurants you pass by.” At Starbucks, where he can’t read the menu, he says he can ask the assistant if they sell chocolate croissants.
“You don’t need to hold your smartphone when you go somewhere,” Ceylan said. “You can put it in your pocket and then you can access all the information through your WeWalk smart stick.” There is a mobile phone interface for those who want to use it, however, which I held through the display so I could see what was happening on the other side. Unlike a lot of things I’ve come across at CES this year that seem to include AI or ChatGPT for no real reason other than that they can, this one feels like it makes sense and could be very beneficial.
Since they are new, we still don’t know how all of this will work in the real world. Pre-orders are now open for the WeWalk Smart Cane 2, and the first wave is expected to start shipping later this month. There are two pricing options: $850 for the smart stick plus a voice assistant subscription that costs $4.99 per month, or $1150 altogether without additional subscription fees to fully utilize AI. WeWalk Smart Cane 2 is available worldwide.
The London startup also has a partnership with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) starting in February, when the organization will begin using its WeWalk Smart Cane 2 cane training program. The goal is to collect useful data for teachers to better understand how people are using walking sticks (AI-assisted or not), and to help them get the most out of the tools. Ceylan said, “that is very important, because the better you are, the better your life is.”
Update, January 9 2025, 11:55AM ET: This article has been updated to add more information on the battery life of the smart cane.
