Due to a modified version of an Ultracane, which emits ultrasonic waves that help with mobility issues, blind college student Dan Smith safely mountain biked down a trail. Smith’s bike was equipped with the bat-inspired technology that helped him successfully mountain bike down the trail.
A year ago Dan Smith lost his sight due to Leber’s Optic Neuropathy, a rare condition that leads to loss of vision when cells in the optic nerve die off. Thus causing them to stop relaying information from the eyes to the brain, leading to blindness. Dan Smith is a student at Bristol University in the UK.
The technology in Dan’s mountain bike provides advanced warning of potential obstacles in the biker’s path. The bike features handlebars that vibrate when an object becomes close on either the left or right side of the biker. This helps bikers avoid trees, bushes, animals, etc. The technology is similar to the way bats and dolphins navigate via echolocation. Tactile signals in the cane warn bikers of obstacles they may encounter.
Dan’s mountain-biking story was featured in an episode of the BBC program Miracles of Nature, that aired in the UK. Unfortunately, the episode currently is not available for online viewing in the U.S.