Award-winning WeWALK Smart Cane features at RNIB Scotland’s Inclusive Design event
An AI-enabled smart cane designed to transform the lives of people with sight loss has won a prestigious international design award and was featured at RNIB Scotland’s Inclusive Design for Sustainability conference in Glasgow.
The WeWALK Smart Cane was recognised by the iF International Forum Design at this year’s product design awards.
The WeWALK Smart Cane is the same size and weight as a traditional white cane, but uses enhanced technology and sensors to detect obstacles, provide navigation, and integrate with public transport to enable people with sight loss to get around quickly and safely, and live much more independently.
It also includes an AI-powered voice assistant that can give directions or travel tips, linking to a smartphone via Bluetooth.
Ongoing enhancements from partnerships with Imperial College London, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and Microsoft have earned WeWALK Amazon’s Startup of the Year, TIME’s Best Invention, and the King’s Award for Innovation.
The cane was one of the cutting-edge pieces of technology on show in Glasgow at RNIB Scotland’s Inclusive Design for Sustainability conference, which bought together global technology giants, such as Google, with leading scientists and innovators, and showcased the latest AI-assisted innovations that help with work, mobility, and leisure for people with sight loss.
Attendees were reported to be highly interested in interacting with RoboGuide, an AI-powered robotic guide dog developed by the University of Glasgow, which helps people with visual impairments find their way around indoor spaces.
RNIB Scotland ran the conference as part of its focus on ensuring that everyone with sight loss has access to the technology to live the life they want to lead.
James Adams, director of RNIB Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring together experts from such a wide range of fields to inform and inspire people about the possibilities of technology for transforming the lives of people with sight loss.
“We have never been at a more exciting point for changing the way that blind and partially sighted people can live, work and have fun.
“New developments that can help increase accessibility and tackle exclusion are more important than ever, as the number of people with sight loss is set to rapidly increase.
“It is vital that we work together to ensure that everyone benefits from technological advances so they are truly inclusive.”
Dr Jean Marc Feghali, Chief Technology Officer of WeWALK, said: “Driven by our lived experience of visual impairment, WeWALK has come a long way since launching our first product.
“Smart Cane 2 embodies years of feedback from our key partners, including RNIB, Guide Dogs UK, and thousands of users in over 60 countries.
“The Inclusive Design for Sustainability conference is a testament to the power of collaboration, bringing together the very organisations that have helped shape our technology.”
The Royal National Institute of Blind people Northern Ireland, recently hosted the RNIB Technology Fair 2025 recently to showcase skills and tools for modern living in Lisburn.
