22-year-old Cameroonian invents device to ease mobility for the visually impaired

Cameroonian wonderkid, Mbun Desmond has extended his creation, this time, to those with sight challenges. The 22-year-old has developed a device to enable persons with visual impairment overcome mobility impediments.

“The device has a sensor which detects obstacles and sends the signals to a micro controller which processes it and powers a buzzer speaker and an LED Light bulb. This buzzer speaker then sends out a warning sound,” he explained.

The loudness of the sound, he noted, enables the user determine how close they are to the obstacle: “If he doesn’t get any beeping sound then he knows the track is clear of obstacles”.

Like most of his works, Mbun Desmond revealed he developed the device with use of scrap tech materials – an affordable option.

The said device can be hug on the neck or held in the hand during movement, thanks to its portable nature. The creation, the young genius noted, was born out of his compassion for persons with visual impairments and the ordeals they go through daily.

“Any time I watch someone who is physically impaired, I really feel bad especially when they try to walk around. They stress up a lot especially with the cane. Most of them often fall or get to touch rough surfaces or harmful objects when they try to find their way using their hands,” he stated.

The device, Desmond noted, continues to undergo development to better suit the needs of the visually impaired.

“I will be improving the device, and might be by including some other systems which can entertain them as well. I am thinking of making other devices for people who are not just visually impaired but physically impaired in other aspects,” he hinted.