In today’s fast-paced world, technology has become an integral part of our lives, shaping the way we communicate, work, and navigate our surroundings. For individuals with vision loss, technology has opened up new possibilities and opportunities, empowering them to explore the world independently. One such groundbreaking innovation is XploreNinja – BlindSquare’s latest app release – a remarkable mapping system designed to support blind Android device users navigate safely and confidently; a new way to experience the world.

Introducing XploreNinja, Powered by BlindSquare:

• What is XploreNinja?
  The XploreNinja Android app is a totally new platform, first released in January 2023, providing the BlindSquare developers access to new powers and flexible integrations. Available first for Android devices, an iOS version is planned and will be released as feature layers increase.
  
• What XploreNinja is not.
  While powered by BlindSquare’s development team and using BlindSquare customized datasets (whether publicly sourced or custom developed) it is not BlindSquare for Android as features and functionality vary.
  
• What is BlindSquare (iOS) working on now?
  Development of new features and expanding datasets continues with BlindSquare (iOS) as the flagship product.
  
• Datasets and special features.
  The XploreNinja app leverages customized datasets created for BlindSquare (iOS) serving geographies where public data is either poor or not currently available.  Examples of these datasets include parks (urban/rural), college/university campus sites, transit services, public pedestrian malls, and more.
  
  The XploreNinja app, in a park setting as an example, can provide automatic (or optional) tracking via audible prompts from point A to B (such as from the parking lot, to a park bench by the pond, to the nearest facilities).
  
  BlindSquare’s Enterprise Products includes a service known as CLS (Customized Location Services), a dataset of points of interest both indoors and outdoors for blind users, which is maintained and authorized using a map interface (such as OpenStreetMaps, Google Maps, Google Satellite View, Google Street view) or field-collected or client supplied data.The XploreNinja app unlocks access to this data on Android devices.
  
  Example use cases and press coverage,  including Parks, Transportation, Pedestrian Malls and more

BlindSquare’s new app, XploreNinja, represents a significant milestone in the field of assistive technology. By combining advanced mapping capabilities, continuous optimizations, and a user-centric design, the Xplore Ninja app empowers blind individuals to navigate their environments more safely, confidently, and independently. As technology continues to evolve, apps like XploreNinja serve as an example of how innovation can break barriers and create opportunities for individuals with vision loss. Through innovations like the XploreNinja app, BlindSquare is driving inclusivity and accessibility, enabling individuals with vision loss to embrace their surroundings and live life on their terms.

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At BlindSquare, our mission is to create innovative and accessible technology that enables people of all abilities to navigate the world easily and confidently. That’s why we were thrilled to partner with Heartland Forest, a sanctuary dedicated to promoting accessibility and active living, to bring a new level of freedom to visually impaired hikers.

Meet Joe Green, a 33-year-old Fort Erie resident who has been legally blind since birth. Despite his visual impairment, Joe has never shied away from adventure. He attended W. Ross Macdonald School for the visually impaired in Brantford, where he lived life to the fullest. He experienced rock climbing, horseback riding, snow skiing, soccer, and golf. Joe’s fearless spirit was tested when he participated in a soapbox derby race, but even a high-speed wipeout couldn’t stop him from living life to the fullest.

Joe had always dreamed of exploring the trails of Heartland Forest in Niagara Falls, where he has a special connection. He sang “O Canada” at the opening of Heartland’s nature center and regularly plays mini-putt there. But until now, the trails have remained out of reach for Joe due to his blindness.

That’s where BlindSquare comes in. With the help of a $20,000 grant from the David S. Howe Fund at the Niagara Community Foundation, BlindSquare, and Heartland Forest partnered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) to develop a trail navigation system using our BlindSquare Event app. This app uses self-voicing GPS technology to provide safe and accessible navigation for visually impaired hikers and allows Joe to walk the trails without a guide dog or support person. BlindSquare Event will describe points of interest and provide the distance and direction of landmarks such as benches, trail directions, and trash can locations.

As Joe prepared to step onto the trail, he shared his excitement, “I can’t see where I’m going, but it would be wonderful to walk the trails. It would be nice to walk the trails and listen to the sounds of nature.” With the help of the BlindSquare Event app, Joe finally got his wish. He listened keenly to the sounds of different birds and even greeted a blue jay along the way.

Heartland Forest Executive Director Elisabeth Graham described seeing Joe able to walk the trail and listen to nature as a “beautiful” thing. “We are grateful that with the support of the Niagara Community Foundation, we are able to create more opportunities for outdoor explanation for all ages and all abilities,” she said.

CNIB spokesperson Mary Ann Bent echoed this sentiment, saying that trails should be accessible to everyone, not just the sighted. “Trails are such an important part of our health,” she said.

For Heartland Forest founder Dan Bouwman, seeing Joe walk the trails for the first time was a profound moment. “You cannot imagine how I feel. I feel like a million-dollar man. It makes such a difference in people’s lives,” he said. “You do what’s right, and everything comes together.”

At BlindSquare, we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this amazing collaboration that is making a real difference in people’s lives. Our partnership with Heartland Forest and CNIB is a testament to our commitment to creating accessible and empowering technology for everyone.

To read the original article on this wonderful story, visit Niagara Falls Review here.

“You need to be able to make intelligent decisions once you enter an unfamiliar location. That means relying on sensory clues other than vision to navigate the world around you,” says Debbie, a long-time customer of RBC.

“For instance, if I am in a mall, I’ll listen for the sound of a water fountain, as that likely indicates I’m in a central location. The smell of a food court or the beeps of an ATM can also give me clues to where I am in proximity to other things.”

Clayton Van Esch, an RBC executive shares that the BlindSquare integration with the bank’s branches was well worth the effort. “BlindSquare, along with its EVENT app, is more than a ‘find your bank’ tool. It’s a doorway to greater independence and a lifestyle tool for blind and partially sighted people,” explains Clayton. “We often talk about being most helpful to our clients by being on our clients’ path. BlindSquare and its EVENT app make that path accessible even when it cannot be seen.”

David Demers, President, CNIB Frontier Accessibility, shared that “Canadians living with disabilities represent purchasing power of $55 billion annually. These potential customers, their families and friends, frequent banks, and other financial institutions. An accessible and inclusive establishment allows blind and partially sighted customers more independence and security when dealing with sensitive information, such as their personal finances. An accessible experience draws in new customers and keeps them coming back again and again.”

“Financial independence is an essential part of social participation. New technologies allow us to interact with our communities in a way never possible before,” says David. “Now, with greater abilities to participate in the world around us, provided by socially conscious corporations like RBC, blind people like me can better engage with and contribute to the society we are a part of. Obviously, the independence this technology brings provides me multiple benefits, but there is also an upside for our economy and the greater community.”

We look forward to continuing to expand this program with our friends at RBC. Are you a banker who would benefit from RBC’s BlindSquare integration? Anyone can download the free version of BlindSquare’s EVENT app from the iOS App Store to assist in navigating throughout your community, likely including your local RBC branch. 

As our BlindSquare users know, the app uses self-voicing GPS technology to locate and describe critical points of interest to provide safe, reliable travel for those with vision loss or blindness. At the St. John’s Downtown Pedestrian Mall, BlindSquare users can now seek out features such as sidewalk curb cuts, parklets, and public seating.

In a recent press release from the St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador website, Councillor Debbie Hanlon, Council Lead for Inclusion made the following statement on her incentive for the partnership with CNIB:

“We want the Downtown Pedestrian Mall to be a welcoming place for everyone who wishes to visit,” said Councillor Debbie Hanlon. “Each year, we continue to work with members of the Inclusion Advisory Committee, and our community partners such as CNIB, to identify ways to improve accessibility during the Downtown Pedestrian Mall event. The BlindSquare pilot project is the result of our ongoing work to improve the event and to make it more accessible.”

Amanda Halliday, CNIB’s Coordinator of Community Giving expands on the incentive to roll out BlindSquare into environments such as St. John’s Downtown Pedestrian Mall:

“Accessible technologies like BlindSquare are important connection points for CNIB, as we work together with community partners like the City of St. John’s to create more accessible spaces for individuals living with sight loss,” said Amanda Halliday. “Understanding this technology and its applications is an important part of our collaboration – together we are breaking down barriers to inclusion by using accessible technology.”

David Demers, President, CNIB Frontier Accessibility, shares our mutual applause to St. John’s for their attention to improving accessibility in the city:

“We are grateful to the city of St. John’s for their commitment to accessibility and inclusion,” said David Demers, President. He adds, “They recognize that social participation begins when everyone can navigate their city independently and safely. The BlindSquare installation in the Downtown Pedestrian Mall not only improves access for people with disabilities but also provides a better experience for everyone.”

For those based in the St. John’s area, spread the word on this powerful initiative that the city has invested in. We hope to continue rolling out projects such as these nationally to make Canada more accessible each and every day.

BlindSquare Event is free to download for iPhone users and can access this tool anywhere in Canada.

In an incredible effort to help, WBU will be hosting a Ukrainian benefit concert, We’re With U, including musicians who are blind, to help blind people affected by the atrocities in Ukraine. All proceeds from this concert will be donated to Ukrainian Unity Fund; a fund established by WBU to support blind people in Ukraine and to help them rebuild following the war. The WBU will collect donations and work with partners such as the European Blind Union to direct resources where they’re needed most.

Mark your calendars this weekend to tune into this wonderful day of music established for a very good cause.

Dates and Times:

North America

• Saturday, April 16th at 11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern

United Kingdom

• Saturday, April 16th at 7 pm

Eastern Australia

• Sunday, April 17th at 4 pm

New Zealand

• Sunday, April 17th at 6 am 

Where and How to Listen:

For the latest information on listening options, donating, and performing, please visit http://MushroomFM.com/WithYou.

For any individual or organization wishing to provide financial support, please contact WBU directly at [email protected]. If you’re looking for ways to help, please consider donating to the Ukrainian Unity Fund, where every dollar will be donated to support relief efforts. Secure donations to the Ukrainian Unity Fund can be made via credit card, wire transfer, or PayPal. 

This concert is intended to raise funds to support friends in Ukraine in the short term, but WBU and partners such as ourselves will continue providing appropriate support for years to come, such as access to assistive technology, blindness skills training, and mental health supports.

We look forward to joining you as an audience at the virtual concert this weekend.

“We are in tough and unprecedented conditions, and our cities are under severe attacks.  Many people are forced to flee their homes.  …the situation is very difficult for blind refugees as they flee to other countries, to cities they are not familiar with, and it is very difficult to navigate there, to find places with essential goods such as shops, pharmacies, ATM’s and so on. Therefore, I have decided to write to you and ask for help for blind refugees from Ukraine.” – Igor Kushni, UTOS Training and Information Computer Center, Kyiv, Ukraine

On April 1st, in an effort to support blind Ukrainian refugees, we released free access to BlindSquare Event to a 1,000km region including all of Ukraine, as well as 21 other surrounding countries. People of Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Northern Albania, North Macedonia, Turkey, Thessaloniki, Slovenia, Eastern Austria, Czechia, Poland and Eastern Germany can download our full-featured version of BlindSquare throughout the duration of the war, plus 90 days, supporting those on journeys to and from Ukraine. If these BlindSquare users acquire this app within one of these regions, they will have global access should they travel outside of the regions mentioned above.

Our mission is to partner with fellow peers to collaborate on different supportive initiatives and continue spreading the word. Martine Abel-Williamson, President of the World Blind Union, shares her perspective on the emergency plan of action below.

“With millions of people displaced, we know there are tens of thousands of blind and partially sighted Ukrainians who are now living in unfamiliar settings. Apps like BlindSquare give helpful information to people about their surroundings. For many of us, this information makes it easier to get around and helps us navigate with confidence. For Ukrainians displaced by the war, this information could be the difference between getting to an evacuation point on time or not, getting to a shelter before the bombing starts or not, or getting to a grocery store before it closes or not. The service BlindSquare offers is a helpful convenience for most of us, but it can be an essential safety tool as well. I applaud the BlindSquare team for recognizing the value of their product during times of emergency and for taking the necessary steps to get it in the hands of as many people as possible.” – Martine Abel-Williamson, President, World Blind Union

BlindSquare Event downloads are already spiking within these impacted regions, and we ask that you continue spreading the word to any friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances should this free support be valuable to them during these difficult times.

Download the BlindSquare Event iOS app via this link for free access in the regions within a 1,000km radius of Ukraine.

We will continue to listen, pivot, and support in whatever capacity we’re able. Please follow along for updates on BlindSquare’s continued support for Ukrainian refugees.

Sunu Band,

The best complement for your white cane or guide dog, it protects your head and upper body by warning you through vibrations when an object or person is getting close. The Sunu Band is a wrist-worn sonar device paired to your iPhone; you wear it like a watch and it will feel like walking with an invisible sighted guide, helping you with your daily journeys. Find your way out of crowds, follow in a line with ease, keep social distance, hands-free GPS assistance, and much more.

Join our growing community of thousands of users in over 50 countries and experience smarter mobility with 90% fewer accidents. Outstanding support in the form of online tutorials, in-app Sunu Academy, assets for O&M instructors, and “human” support by Chat and Email. What’s it like to wear a Sunu Band? <video, 40 seconds>

BlindSquare,

The most used and recognized waypoint navigation app for persons who are blind, partially-sighted, or deafblind.  Used in over 185 countries, supported with over 25 languages.  BlindSquare, celebrating 10 years of service across the globe.

BlindSquare is a platform, federating dozens of products and information services. With nearly 100 integrations, BlindSquare offers access to information or other supporting applications into one product, in your hand, or in your pocket.

Sub-meter information.  Sunu Band and BlindSquare have merged services, amplifying the natural value of both!

Now, extending BlindSquare services to the wrist, delivering sub-meter accuracy for object and feature identification.  

Now, extending Sunu Band access to information to include the 120,000,000 points of information, idealized for persons who are blind.  On-street or remote simulation to destinations of interest, whether common or the start of a new adventure.

What shall we call this new synergy? 

A technological sixth sense, reliable information, instantly available, apprising “what’s ahead” in known or unknown environments.  A familiar route, still filled with hazards?  Create a personal place-marker by touch or by voice via BlindSquare to warn you next time.  With Sunu Band, you can easily navigate around the object avoiding unwanted impacts (or other surprises). The definition of autonomous travel just improved.

In these COVID-adjusted days, distance is our friend. The role of Sunu Band is to alert you of the distance between you and others and to enable you to advance through waiting lines, with the silent haptic advice that the person before you has moved.

Detect obstacles several steps before the cane detects for a less bumpy ride. Is the obstacle a person? A wall? A shrub? Easy, perceive the obstacles’ proximity, hardness, and shape in real-time with Sunu Band’s haptic language. It’s literally a sixth sense! 

How else do we ease this journey?

• For existing Sunu Band users, BlindSquare is available for $25, through the SUNU app
• For BlindSquare owners, order SUNU Band with a discount, Click here
• For persons new to both products, when purchasing Sunu Band, BlindSquare is bundled and available without additional cost, Click here

World Blind Union presentation.

On June 29, 2021, BlindSquare and Sunu Band formed a panel before the World Blind Union annual Summit in Madrid.  Please join us by viewing this recorded event.

BlindSquare and Sunu Podcast.

An interview with the principals of BlindSquare, Ilkka Pirttimaa, and Rob Nevin, explaining the History of BlindSquare and the importance of the SUNU connection.  Please join us by viewing the Podcast interview by Marcela Lorenzana Padilla.

BE MY EYES

This app developed for the blind connects those with visual impairments to sighted volunteers to assist with navigation via a video call. These volunteers assist with everyday tasks, such as grocery shopping, helping turn on the stove, etc. This app is serving 320,000 blind and low-vision users with visual support needs.

ACCESSNOW

Ever wondered how accessible a location is prior to visiting? This app and website maps and reviews places so users understand any potential barriers they may face, such as steps into an entryway, or a broken elevator.

BLINDSQUARE

Used by over 60,000 people across 186 countries, the BlindSquare app provides audio prompts to help those who are visually impaired navigate through streets and communities around them. Increasing accessibility is a fundamental goal for BlindSquare, where those who are blind will continue to push boundaries and explore more, independently.

It’s the innovators like these who are changing the accessibility game, bridging gaps and increasing independence. We’re in good company with these amazing tools, and welcome new players to the table! Thank you, CityLab for spreading the word.

Wascana Park is larger than Vancouver’s Stanley Park and New York City’s Central Park combined, and a prime destination for locals and tourists alike. Filled with over 300 species of trees and shrubs, 270 species of birds and 36 various mammals, this incredible park is a fan favourite. For those who are blind and partially sighted, you can now discover landmarks, gazebos, the outdoor pool, monuments, bridges, and park entrances and exits through 230 GPS pins placed by CNIB. Bringing BlindSquare to this destination is a milestone in accessibility that will allow for more independence for blind or partially sighted park users in the community.

The Provincial Capital Commission oversees Wascana Park and approved the BlindSquare app and beacon installation. They took it a step further by installing these beacons within the Wascana Place offices as well, calling out doorways, tables, and bathrooms throughout the building. Since then, local businesses have adopted this solution by installing beacons in restaurants, bars and coffee shops nearby!

The ripple effect of this initiative is already in place, and we look forward to learning about the impact this has on blind or partially sighted park users. Thank you, Ashley, for sharing your experience with us and millions of readers across Canada in Canadian Geographic’s September/October issue. We hope this continues the ripple effect of growing accessibility in our local communities!

To learn more about this accessibility project, head over to CNIB’s announcement by clicking this link.

Sunu Band, the advanced mobility aid for those who are blind or have vision loss, uses sonar and echolocation to detect objects in the user’s path. The wearable wristband sends haptic vibrations to provide the user information on object proximity within their path. On the market since 2018, Sunu Band is shaking up the world of accessibility, helping to deliver a safer, more independent journey for those with vision loss.

Sunu Band and BlindSquare have joined forces to improve accessible navigation together. Pairing these two technologies will offer reliable BlindSquare-driven GPS navigation to direct users where they’re intending, while also issuing safety measures through the Sunu Band to alert users of oncoming obstacles.

With every Sunu Band purchase, users will receive BlindSquare for only $9.99! To learn more about this offer, click here. For existing BlindSquare users, you can receive $30 off your first Sunu Band by visiting this link. This offer expands across North America, so spread the word to those who may benefit, as this powerful duo is certain to change their lives.