Project Summary
Impli are developing a wristband-based contact awareness bracelet that allows people with visual impairments to be alerted when their safe social distancing has been compromised. The solution, the LifeBand Vibe, will extend the capability of the generic LifeBand COVID tracking wristband, by incorporating “haptic” vibration capability to provide regular subtle alerts to wearers in circumstances when their safe social distancing may have been compromised without them realising.
Project Achievements
- Built first iterations of prototypes that allow people to be traced through a digital environment as well as capture contact with other devices/people. This allowed us to build in haptic controls that can communicate through vibration with the VIPs when the 2m distance has been breached.
- Designed inclusive band that enables easy fastening and versatile usability and selected 3 VIP testers
- Developed a functioning prototype that can be now miniaturised and functionalised with improvements on battery consumption. Tested this in a laboratory environment and in real life.
- Supply chains delays limited testing that could be done with VIPs and this is still be done for completing this project. These issues and identified battery limitations have emphasised the importance of building in alternative energy sources.
Next Steps
- Complete market research with the selected VIP users. We are currently improving the miniaturisation as well as the accuracy of the devices. The aim is to roll out with a commercial solution in spring 2022.
- The team were awarded a larger UKRI grant project that will make this technology available to 20,000 users. T-TRIG has introduced us to further visually impaired charities and association which we will leverage in the next phase of the project.
