Our Haptic-Enhanced Cane

As my vision began to fade — slowly at first, then with a kind of quiet insistence — I found myself rethinking every step I took. Blindness is not a single moment; it is a gradual becoming. I had watched my father lose his sight. I knew what uncertainty felt like. What I wanted was not to replace the white cane — that elegant, time-tested symbol of freedom — but to strengthen it. To give it a little more awareness. A little more anticipation. A gentle heads-up before contact. This cane was born from lived experience, from daily adaptation to vision loss, and from a simple belief: when vision changes, dignity and confidence should not... Frederick Prete

Seedream 4.5_this same exact white ca (2).png

Lake Forest College Haptics Lab

Inside the Haptics Lab at Lake Forest College, a dedicated team of undergraduate researchers helps make our vision a reality. They build, code, test, and refine — but more importantly, they listen: to blind users, to families, and to orientation and mobility professionals. Their goal is clear — to create something humane, intuitive, and genuinely useful. What happens in our lab is translational research in the truest sense: ideas becoming tools, prototypes becoming daily companions, all driven by a shared commitment to enhancing the lives of people who are blind or low vision.

Not a replacement

The haptic-enhanced cane expands awareness while reducing physical effort. The forward-facing sensor effectively extends the cane’s reach, allowing the user to maintain full coverage without sweeping in a wide arc. Instead of discovering obstacles only upon contact, the cane provides vibrotactile feedback in advance. This earlier information gives the user more time to react, helping reduce arm fatigue, soften impacts, and move more confidently through crowded or unfamiliar environments. The result is the same trusted mobility tool, simply extended forward through touch.

Just enough information

As the user approaches an object, the vibrotactile feedback gradually increases in intensity, creating an intuitive sense of distance through touch. This graded signal helps the user interpret proximity and adjust movement before contact occurs, providing a clearer understanding of the space ahead. The cane can also detect movement in front of the user even when it is held still, assist with smoother wall following to prevent drifting, and support active following so the user can maintain position behind a person walking ahead. Together, these capabilities reduce surprise and increase confidence while navigating. The result is a mobility aid that respects the tradition and symbolism of the white cane while thoughtfully extending its functional reach.

Seedream 4.5_change this image so the.png

Support the continued development and distribution of our haptic-enhanced mobility canes for blind and low-vision users.

Right now, we are building and distributing these haptic-enhanced canes free of charge to blind and low-vision users, including students with special needs. We want them using the cane in real environments — so we can keep improving the design and, more importantly, so it can start improving lives now.

Every $150 we raise buys the materials for one more cane.

When you contribute, every dollar goes directly to the work. Donations are made through Lake Forest College — that’s what makes your donation tax-deductible — and it is placed into a dedicated research account for the Haptics (Prete) Lab. None of it is used for administrative salaries or overhead. It goes into parts, sensors, motors, batteries, handles — the actual materials that become canes.

Thank you...

Donate Today

haptic Insight LLC

TM