The stick helps the visually impaired person in different ways. It helps them to detect the obstacle which they might bump into. While the previous stick would only detect an obstacle when one touches it, the technology advancement allows one to detect from a long distance as it uses sensors. The high-tech white cane which is the first of its kind to be made in Rwanda uses ultrasonic ranging technology to detect obstacles in a distance of 1.2 meters and alert the user through vibrations and sounds.

With this smart blind stick you can track where they are located because it has GPS of wherever they are. This means the stick can’t be stolen and go missing because it can be tracked using a mobile phone or machine using a software developed for it. For those with multiple disabilities- deaf-blind, the stick is fitted with vibration capability that warns them as needed. Many smartphone apps to support people who are deaf or blind require high speed internet connections absent in rural areas - this stick does not.

Approximately 26.3 million people in Africa are visually impaired. Of these, an estimated 20.4 million have low vision and 5.9 million are blind, about 15.3 percent of the world’s blind population. So the impact for this solution is huge.