Snapdeal ties up with IIT Delhi to make SmartCanes for India's visually impaired

Snapdeal, in partnership with IIT Delhi and Phoenix Medical Solutions, announced the launch of SmartCane, an electronic travel aid that offers independent mobility and safety to the visually impaired. The product is available for sale online exclusively via Snapdeal at a price of Rs 3,500. As a part of the partnership, potential donors can also choose to donate SmartCane via Snapdeal’s Sunshine platform. The donated products will be shipped directly to NGO partner, Saksham. SmartCane is said to be an advanced version of the white cane used by visually impaired people. It uses ultrasonic ranging, which helps detect above knee-level obstacles. The device is co-created with the user community and validated by over 300 people with visual impairment across the country and also has nearly 10,000 empowered users in India already, the company stated in a press statement. Speaking about the launch, Tony Navin, Senior Vice President, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Snapdeal said, “SmartCane is a fine example of technology solving real life problems of people, and we at Snapdeal take immense pride in bringing the latest innovations to the market. A smart product, SmartCane addresses the concern of independence and safety of those with visual impairment. We are confident that this product will be well received and our customers will also come forward to donate SmartCane to NGOs working with persons with visual impairment.”