Navigation, Obstacle, Artificial intelligence (NOA) is the new brand name for biped’s AI mobility vest that can guide blind and visually impaired people. Following a successful market entry in ten countries, the company has signed three distribution partnerships to fie its US launch.
Biped.ai specializes in innovative AI-powered navigation devices designed to enhance mobility for blind and visually impaired individuals. The primary product, NOA, is a smart vest that utilizes self-driving technology to guide users through 3D sounds which describe surroundings. The device is equipped with three wide-angle cameras that replicate the human field of view. They can detect obstacles such as low-hanging branches, holes, electric scooters, and traffic signs, providing warnings through audio feedback in bone-conduction headphones. NOA also functions in the dark, helping users to navigate safely even at night.
NOA was developed in collaboration with the Honda Research Institute and involved over 250 beta-testers, low-vision professionals, and orientation and mobility (O&M) trainers. The device was designed to complement traditional mobility aids like white canes and guide dogs without interfering with their use.
With NOA pro, the company offers an enterprise accessibility program that makes workplaces accessible for blind and visually impaired employees and visitors while NOA Travel was designed for transportation companies to provide fully accessible journeys, including custom descriptions of surroundings and integration with public transport schedules.
This year so far, the company has shipped a total of 75 devices to over ten countries including US, UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Switzerland, Spain, and New Zealand. During the coming weeks, the company plans to ship another batch of NOA devices. In the US, the company has signed a partnership with three distributors and hired its first employee to serve the region. This milestone allows the company to give blind people worldwide access to new technology.
