Contact

This website is aimed to enhance the lives of the Visually ImPaired and Blind (VIP). 
For this to work we take a 360 degree context centered around the VIP. Our first initiative is to make mobility for the VIP safer. The “Blind Cane” is the main tool for the VIP to make their presence clear and communicate their bearing and course to other traffic participants. 
 
The original cane was introduced nearly a hundred years ago and has proven it’s value.
 
Now with new Technology available, we want to increase it’s utility.
1 Enhance mobility and Increase visibility
2 Enhance functionality for VIP
3 Enhance communication to smart vehicles, traffic lights, bicyclists and other pedestrians
 
Our first initiative is a 2.0 version of the Blind Cane, named “Marchena Cane” after it’s inventress. This is an easy to use and practical cane that can light up like a light sabre. 
We figure that if other traffic participants can actually see the VIP and identify the person they see as a VIP, they will naturally adapt their behaviour.Wielding a light sabre will most probably help the VIP to encourage other people to take notice! 
We know the “lighted blind cane” itself is not a new idea. We want to make this great idea of a modern Blind Cane universally available for VIP’s all over the world and easy for people re-make them. There are Fab Labs all over the world who can assist people with fabrication.
It is Debby’s vision that 30% of people with visual impairments use the “Marchena Cane” by 2025 and in 2030 the algorithms in self-driving cars recognize their stick and respond to it.
This will have a massive positive impact on VIP safety, mobility and Quality of Life.
 

Project:

This site is managed by Jeroen Willems, MBA

Address:

Markerkant 13-18, 1314 AN Almere

Tel:

+31 970 1249 1559

Mob:

+31 6 2957 4948

Mail:

jeroen@jwillems.com

Web:

jwillems.com