Today we've got a really cool invention to share. It's still in the Kickstarter stage, but there's been already some quite exciting developments relating to a new and improved white cane tip for cane users around the world. It's called Sensor Ball and to have a chat with us about sensible. I'm here with the inventors Peter and Rohan Richards, along with Kathy Leach from Vision Australia, to have a chat with us all about it. Peter Rowan, Kathy, thank you all for joining me today. Very excited to have you.

Today we've got a really cool invention to share. It's still in the Kickstarter stage, but there's been already some quite exciting developments relating to a new and improved white cane tip for cane users around the world. It's called Sensor Ball and to have a chat with us about sensible. I'm here with the inventors Peter and Rohan Richards, along with Kathy Leach from Vision Australia, to have a chat with us all about it. Peter Rowan, Kathy, thank you all for joining me today. Very excited to have you.

Hi. Thanks for being here. Yeah. Hi.

Hi. Thanks for being here. Yeah. Hi.

Peter. I'm going to start with you today. We're talking about sensor ball. Of course, this amazing invention that you and Rohan have worked so hard to put together. So could you tell us a little bit about Sensor Bowl?

Peter. I'm going to start with you today. We're talking about sensor ball. Of course, this amazing invention that you and Rohan have worked so hard to put together. So could you tell us a little bit about Sensor Bowl?

Well, how it all started was that when my vision deteriorated to the point where I needed some mobility training to use the long white cane. The first day I was in my having a lesson, and I caught the tip of the cane on a raised part of the pavement, and the cane jabbed me in the stomach, and I thought to myself, well, could it be a better tip than this around? And so I asked if it was, and the answer was no. So I went to Rohan and said, how about we work on this project together? And it's been a five year project that we've finally got to the point where we're ready to to go and and launch onto the worldwide market. The new sensible universal tip for the white mobility cane.

Well, how it all started was that when my vision deteriorated to the point where I needed some mobility training to use the long white cane. The first day I was in my having a lesson, and I caught the tip of the cane on a raised part of the pavement, and the cane jabbed me in the stomach, and I thought to myself, well, could it be a better tip than this around? And so I asked if it was, and the answer was no. So I went to Rohan and said, how about we work on this project together? And it's been a five year project that we've finally got to the point where we're ready to to go and and launch onto the worldwide market. The new sensible universal tip for the white mobility cane.

Okay. And Rohan, I'll get your background in this and what you've been involved with. You've been quite central to the manufacturing side of everything. So tell us a bit about the process there and what you've been up to.

Okay. And Rohan, I'll get your background in this and what you've been involved with. You've been quite central to the manufacturing side of everything. So tell us a bit about the process there and what you've been up to.

Yeah, absolutely. So I studied industrial design at Swinburne and graduated in 2023. But since then I've been working in other industries, so I've had the odd project and done a little bit of freelancing, but my skills were sort of idle. So look, my dad was a keen entrepreneur and he's always thinking of business ideas. So he came to me with this idea and from my perspective it looked like a good product. It was a small product. So it's not something that is going to take up a lot of material. And it also has worldwide demand. 2% of people all around the world have some kind of vision impairment. So it's something where I thought that we could actually make a big difference to people all around the world. And yeah, we just sort of started throwing around some ideas and seeing what worked and what didn't. I built a prototype and give it to Pete, and he'd go out and test it to destruction, and then he'd come back with some feedback, and we'd try again and see which bits broke and what we needed to improve to make it suitable, and something that actually achieved the purpose of helping people who need assistance to have the best experience possible.

Yeah, absolutely. So I studied industrial design at Swinburne and graduated in 2023. But since then I've been working in other industries, so I've had the odd project and done a little bit of freelancing, but my skills were sort of idle. So look, my dad was a keen entrepreneur and he's always thinking of business ideas. So he came to me with this idea and from my perspective it looked like a good product. It was a small product. So it's not something that is going to take up a lot of material. And it also has worldwide demand. 2% of people all around the world have some kind of vision impairment. So it's something where I thought that we could actually make a big difference to people all around the world. And yeah, we just sort of started throwing around some ideas and seeing what worked and what didn't. I built a prototype and give it to Pete, and he'd go out and test it to destruction, and then he'd come back with some feedback, and we'd try again and see which bits broke and what we needed to improve to make it suitable, and something that actually achieved the purpose of helping people who need assistance to have the best experience possible.

And Kathy, this is where I want to come to you and get your perspective on things from an orientation and mobility and sighted guide side of things. What sort of really jumping out for you as the really exciting possibilities for something like sensible to be available to so many white cane users out there?

And Kathy, this is where I want to come to you and get your perspective on things from an orientation and mobility and sighted guide side of things. What sort of really jumping out for you as the really exciting possibilities for something like sensible to be available to so many white cane users out there?

Well, just from Peter's experience, he was never a cane user. Or if he did use one, it was just an ID cane. But as he's got older, his vision has got worse, as it does for all of us as we get older. But in his case, he didn't have much vision to lose, and he went from the ID cane to using the traditional white cane with the traditional side to side tip rollerball tip. And when he had that experience where his stomach got bruised and I could see the potential for having to replace quite a few white canes because the cane got bent as well. When he came up with this idea of getting Rowan to design a better tip, I thought, yes, that sounds like a great idea. If it means we're not going to have to keep on replacing your white canes and you getting a bruised stomach. So that was where it all started. And it's been fantastic from my point of view, because I can now go walking with Pete and we do a lot of walking with a lot less stress because the cane is giving him the feedback and the information that he needs to be able to navigate without me constantly saying, there's a, you know, all, all the little hazards that are there on the footpaths and so forth. It also means that we can go into out in the bush, we can go to the beach. He uses it at the beach, on the sand. He uses it on rough tracks. he uses in so many places that he wouldn't have been able to. With a lesser cane tip.

Well, just from Peter's experience, he was never a cane user. Or if he did use one, it was just an ID cane. But as he's got older, his vision has got worse, as it does for all of us as we get older. But in his case, he didn't have much vision to lose, and he went from the ID cane to using the traditional white cane with the traditional side to side tip rollerball tip. And when he had that experience where his stomach got bruised and I could see the potential for having to replace quite a few white canes because the cane got bent as well. When he came up with this idea of getting Rowan to design a better tip, I thought, yes, that sounds like a great idea. If it means we're not going to have to keep on replacing your white canes and you getting a bruised stomach. So that was where it all started. And it's been fantastic from my point of view, because I can now go walking with Pete and we do a lot of walking with a lot less stress because the cane is giving him the feedback and the information that he needs to be able to navigate without me constantly saying, there's a, you know, all, all the little hazards that are there on the footpaths and so forth. It also means that we can go into out in the bush, we can go to the beach. He uses it at the beach, on the sand. He uses it on rough tracks. he uses in so many places that he wouldn't have been able to. With a lesser cane tip.

Okay, now I'd love to go into the advantages and features of the sensor ball. In particular. We've spoken a bit about what it can do, but I'm really keen to hear about how it works when it does encounter different surfaces, such as, you know, gravel and grass and loose surfaces and all those bits and pieces that can cause issues. Well, and I'll come to you.

Okay, now I'd love to go into the advantages and features of the sensor ball. In particular. We've spoken a bit about what it can do, but I'm really keen to hear about how it works when it does encounter different surfaces, such as, you know, gravel and grass and loose surfaces and all those bits and pieces that can cause issues. Well, and I'll come to you.

Yeah. For sure, for sure. One of the earliest prototypes or the earliest ideas was a robot wheel. So we were always going for something that would roll forwards. I guess the typical white tip cane is sort of a rotating ball, or it's a nylon marshmallow, I guess would be the standard tip. And I suppose people who use them would know that they have a bearing in them, and they'll rotate left and right, but the forwards one is not there. So you'll end up hitting into things. And after, you know, a little bit of time, the wear of the ground, which can be quite an abrasive surface, will wear it into a point pretty quickly. And that, you know, reduces the ability for it to bounce over things. So that was sort of the first idea, getting something that would roll forwards. And when it came to a crack or a rock, momentum would carry it and it would sort of bounce up and keep moving forward. And then, you know, incorporating that into something that was able to also go sideways. So not, not, not always going forward. Sometimes you want to sweep left and right. Um, so integrating those two features and initially I didn't think it would work having two axes at right angles. And I was trying to restrain that so that it would turn 90 degrees and then stop. But I was having a little bit of difficulty trying to get it to stop, and I was running out of time. So I was like, well, let's just try this anyway. And it seemed to work. The momentum of the ball moving forwards means that you can sort of weave an S-shaped Shake off. And, um, it's actually quite an organic motion that you can get from having a round ball that's, you know, able to to contact the ground at sort of a wide range of angles. Um, and yeah, it makes a huge difference on gravel, you know, cracks in the footpath. Um, we've done a compilation video of a standard tip compared on the same cracks as a, as a ball, you know, a sensor ball tip. And, um, in one of them, I'd get Pete to go towards the crack and Kane would get stuck and would do one with the sensible and like, where did the crack go? So that's the kind of difference that it makes, that it really makes those little cracks that you wouldn't really notice when you're walking along.

Yeah. For sure, for sure. One of the earliest prototypes or the earliest ideas was a robot wheel. So we were always going for something that would roll forwards. I guess the typical white tip cane is sort of a rotating ball, or it's a nylon marshmallow, I guess would be the standard tip. And I suppose people who use them would know that they have a bearing in them, and they'll rotate left and right, but the forwards one is not there. So you'll end up hitting into things. And after, you know, a little bit of time, the wear of the ground, which can be quite an abrasive surface, will wear it into a point pretty quickly. And that, you know, reduces the ability for it to bounce over things. So that was sort of the first idea, getting something that would roll forwards. And when it came to a crack or a rock, momentum would carry it and it would sort of bounce up and keep moving forward. And then, you know, incorporating that into something that was able to also go sideways. So not, not, not always going forward. Sometimes you want to sweep left and right. Um, so integrating those two features and initially I didn't think it would work having two axes at right angles. And I was trying to restrain that so that it would turn 90 degrees and then stop. But I was having a little bit of difficulty trying to get it to stop, and I was running out of time. So I was like, well, let's just try this anyway. And it seemed to work. The momentum of the ball moving forwards means that you can sort of weave an S-shaped Shake off. And, um, it's actually quite an organic motion that you can get from having a round ball that's, you know, able to to contact the ground at sort of a wide range of angles. Um, and yeah, it makes a huge difference on gravel, you know, cracks in the footpath. Um, we've done a compilation video of a standard tip compared on the same cracks as a, as a ball, you know, a sensor ball tip. And, um, in one of them, I'd get Pete to go towards the crack and Kane would get stuck and would do one with the sensible and like, where did the crack go? So that's the kind of difference that it makes, that it really makes those little cracks that you wouldn't really notice when you're walking along.

Um, you can still tell, though, by the sound that it makes if you're on a grade metal grate or other surfaces. The big advantage is going down steps and things, because you're much more safe with the sensor ball, because you can tell edge of each step rather than just have to tap your cane on onto the step Steven Harvey finding the edge. So safety is a big factor in terms of going down steps and other rough surfaces and also RSI problems. A lot of people who use canes a lot over many years get RSI from the jolting that the shocks come through the cane into your arms and so forth. But with sensible you don't have all that issues and are much safer and more body friendly, shall we say. And also, as Rohan said, it's much safer because you're going along. Instead of tapping left and right in the middle of the bit, in the middle of the footpath or wherever is un frisked, you cane you, you know exactly where you're going to walk. The whole of that area is covered by your white cane going constant contact with the ground.

Um, you can still tell, though, by the sound that it makes if you're on a grade metal grate or other surfaces. The big advantage is going down steps and things, because you're much more safe with the sensor ball, because you can tell edge of each step rather than just have to tap your cane on onto the step Steven Harvey finding the edge. So safety is a big factor in terms of going down steps and other rough surfaces and also RSI problems. A lot of people who use canes a lot over many years get RSI from the jolting that the shocks come through the cane into your arms and so forth. But with sensible you don't have all that issues and are much safer and more body friendly, shall we say. And also, as Rohan said, it's much safer because you're going along. Instead of tapping left and right in the middle of the bit, in the middle of the footpath or wherever is un frisked, you cane you, you know exactly where you're going to walk. The whole of that area is covered by your white cane going constant contact with the ground.

Yeah. So I mean you've addressed sort of three issues there. So the auditory feedback. So we've actually had quite a lot of research and testing. This is one of the biggest challenges deciding what to make the ball out of the typical nylon. Nylon was too heavy and too hard. And we had one that was too soft and one that was too big or too small, but being able to rest it on the ground constantly and then just do the sideways movements, means that you don't have to carry the weight of the cane in your hand, and it's supported at both ends and the constant contact. So you can keep the safety all the time. Yeah, it supports the weight. And yeah, we've done a lot of research into making sure that it produces an audible sound. Some people refer to it as um, echolocation, echolocation. But the term I prefer to use is audible feedback. So the sounds that the tip produces is different on different surfaces. So it'll make a different sound on bitumen. It'll different sound on a on a boardwalk. Different sound on gravel. So the acid test is running it along a drain or a manhole. And that sort of seems to be a way that he uses to navigate. He'll sort of go from checkpoint to checkpoint tapping this. He goes, right, I've checked off this one. Um, and that's how he can navigate sometimes is by using those audible cues on his traveling.

Yeah. So I mean you've addressed sort of three issues there. So the auditory feedback. So we've actually had quite a lot of research and testing. This is one of the biggest challenges deciding what to make the ball out of the typical nylon. Nylon was too heavy and too hard. And we had one that was too soft and one that was too big or too small, but being able to rest it on the ground constantly and then just do the sideways movements, means that you don't have to carry the weight of the cane in your hand, and it's supported at both ends and the constant contact. So you can keep the safety all the time. Yeah, it supports the weight. And yeah, we've done a lot of research into making sure that it produces an audible sound. Some people refer to it as um, echolocation, echolocation. But the term I prefer to use is audible feedback. So the sounds that the tip produces is different on different surfaces. So it'll make a different sound on bitumen. It'll different sound on a on a boardwalk. Different sound on gravel. So the acid test is running it along a drain or a manhole. And that sort of seems to be a way that he uses to navigate. He'll sort of go from checkpoint to checkpoint tapping this. He goes, right, I've checked off this one. Um, and that's how he can navigate sometimes is by using those audible cues on his traveling.

I'd love to go back into that discussion you were having about the impact on the muscles and the bones that irregular white cane can have over the years in comparison to the sensible. And Peter, I think this is especially, you know, a topic that I'm sure is very close to your heart as both a cane user and somebody who's been involved in, you know, sport and recreation for the best part of three decades. So tell us a bit about how sensible does cut down on that wear and tear on the body?

I'd love to go back into that discussion you were having about the impact on the muscles and the bones that irregular white cane can have over the years in comparison to the sensible. And Peter, I think this is especially, you know, a topic that I'm sure is very close to your heart as both a cane user and somebody who's been involved in, you know, sport and recreation for the best part of three decades. So tell us a bit about how sensible does cut down on that wear and tear on the body?

Well, because the as Rohan said, because when you're going forward there's no friction on the ground. Basically you don't have the jolting and jarring and, and shocks through the cane. Which other tips give you. The smaller the tip, the more catches on things, the more it would jolt through your arm. So that's a big difference. You don't come back from a cane journey feeling like you've had a lot of, um, jolts and jags on your system. So, you know, people are interested in helping being either getting a sensible and a discount rate or are donating equivalent amount to sensible as being donated to charities all around the world. In fact, we'd like each mobility instructor to have one eventually in Vision Australia and Guide Dogs and so forth so they can show it direct to their clients, or they can go to our website. And also if they want to make a donation just to help support the cost of our tooling and manufacture, they can go to our website w-w-w dot sensible.com.au. That's sensible l.com.au you.

Well, because the as Rohan said, because when you're going forward there's no friction on the ground. Basically you don't have the jolting and jarring and, and shocks through the cane. Which other tips give you. The smaller the tip, the more catches on things, the more it would jolt through your arm. So that's a big difference. You don't come back from a cane journey feeling like you've had a lot of, um, jolts and jags on your system. So, you know, people are interested in helping being either getting a sensible and a discount rate or are donating equivalent amount to sensible as being donated to charities all around the world. In fact, we'd like each mobility instructor to have one eventually in Vision Australia and Guide Dogs and so forth so they can show it direct to their clients, or they can go to our website. And also if they want to make a donation just to help support the cost of our tooling and manufacture, they can go to our website w-w-w dot sensible.com.au. That's sensible l.com.au you.

Just before Peter mentioned the information about Kickstarter campaign, we've still got a tester who's had very severe arthritis in her wrists, and she's been using the sensible for probably at least 12 months now. And she said the change to the pain she was experiencing is quite dramatic. And now that she's using a sensor ball. So that was fantastic news for us in terms of how it reduces the wear and tear on the body.

Just before Peter mentioned the information about Kickstarter campaign, we've still got a tester who's had very severe arthritis in her wrists, and she's been using the sensible for probably at least 12 months now. And she said the change to the pain she was experiencing is quite dramatic. And now that she's using a sensor ball. So that was fantastic news for us in terms of how it reduces the wear and tear on the body.

Okay, even got one user who's in a wheelchair, who's blind, who uses the cane to get around with one hand on the on the on the button to propel the wheelchair and the other one on the cane to tell where she's going. And believe it or not, that's amazing.

Okay, even got one user who's in a wheelchair, who's blind, who uses the cane to get around with one hand on the on the on the button to propel the wheelchair and the other one on the cane to tell where she's going. And believe it or not, that's amazing.

Oh, that's very innovative. I love that. Now, Kathy, I'd love to stay with you just on the point of safety. Now, we've talked a little bit about this already, but as somebody who's been involved in the O&M space and sighted guiding people from point A to point B, what are some really positive outcomes that you're anticipating in terms of the safety there and working with people on that side of things?

Oh, that's very innovative. I love that. Now, Kathy, I'd love to stay with you just on the point of safety. Now, we've talked a little bit about this already, but as somebody who's been involved in the O&M space and sighted guiding people from point A to point B, what are some really positive outcomes that you're anticipating in terms of the safety there and working with people on that side of things?

Definitely, the fact that the improvement in confidence of the cane user is just fantastic. But with that confidence, it's not a foolish confidence. It's actually a real confidence that ensures that you're doing the walking safely. But because you get such good feedback of the area in front of you, it means that you can actually enjoy a nice brisk walk instead of a slow walk. Mhm.

Definitely, the fact that the improvement in confidence of the cane user is just fantastic. But with that confidence, it's not a foolish confidence. It's actually a real confidence that ensures that you're doing the walking safely. But because you get such good feedback of the area in front of you, it means that you can actually enjoy a nice brisk walk instead of a slow walk. Mhm.

Yeah, that sounds fantastic.

Yeah, that sounds fantastic.

So that's a double benefit from having this sensible cane tip.

So that's a double benefit from having this sensible cane tip.

Mhm.

Mhm.

Can you can you need to tell me about his dog poo and so forth.

Can you can you need to tell me about his dog poo and so forth.

Oh yeah I'm.

Oh yeah I'm.

Gonna avoid that. Yeah for sure.

Gonna avoid that. Yeah for sure.

I definitely I definitely tell people about that sort of thing. But uh, Peter has a pretty open approach and he doesn't mind if I tell him things that he already knows are there. So I just make up my own mind. Um, depending on the circumstances as to whether I tell him some of the things I will tell him he may not know about in particular, like street furniture that's coming up. But often what happens in situations like that is that when he gets closer to something, to an to an object, like a street furniture or a seat or hard rubbish on the nature strip that's gone over onto the footpath, I have to decide when will I tell him? And sometimes I don't decide until we're closer and I can see he's already discovered it with the sensible, and he's started to move away from it.

I definitely I definitely tell people about that sort of thing. But uh, Peter has a pretty open approach and he doesn't mind if I tell him things that he already knows are there. So I just make up my own mind. Um, depending on the circumstances as to whether I tell him some of the things I will tell him he may not know about in particular, like street furniture that's coming up. But often what happens in situations like that is that when he gets closer to something, to an to an object, like a street furniture or a seat or hard rubbish on the nature strip that's gone over onto the footpath, I have to decide when will I tell him? And sometimes I don't decide until we're closer and I can see he's already discovered it with the sensible, and he's started to move away from it.

Mhm. There you go.

Mhm. There you go.

So it is. It's one of those things you have to decide what will I tell him and what won't I. But I generally take the approach to tell him, even if I think he knows I still just mention it. But in saying that, I feel a lot more relaxed when I'm walking with Peter than what I did before he started using the sensible.

So it is. It's one of those things you have to decide what will I tell him and what won't I. But I generally take the approach to tell him, even if I think he knows I still just mention it. But in saying that, I feel a lot more relaxed when I'm walking with Peter than what I did before he started using the sensible.

And Rohan, I'll come to you. And this is in regards to adaptability Ability, and there are quite a few different kinds out there on the market. So tell us a bit about how the sensor ball has adapted to all these different shapes and sizes.

And Rohan, I'll come to you. And this is in regards to adaptability Ability, and there are quite a few different kinds out there on the market. So tell us a bit about how the sensor ball has adapted to all these different shapes and sizes.

Yeah for sure. So look, it was a learning process for both of us actually. Um, initially being Australian, the only two canes that I was aware of and given to to start with was ambush and BVR. So, you know, I tried to make something that would fit onto them. Um, and we sent one to a guy in Europe and he said, well, this doesn't fit my cane. And we're like, well, what sort of cane do you have? And they had again, they've got a different brand called a comme des d'aranda. But since then we've discovered there's, um, canes manufactured in Czechoslovakia, Korea, India. So there's a huge variety. So we've got about 10 or 12 different canes. And I've been, um, working to make sure that we can fit it onto as broad a selection of canes as possible without the user having to get a new cane. If they've got one that they like, they can be confident that if they get one off the shelf, it'll fit and replace their existing content without the need for a new cane.

Yeah for sure. So look, it was a learning process for both of us actually. Um, initially being Australian, the only two canes that I was aware of and given to to start with was ambush and BVR. So, you know, I tried to make something that would fit onto them. Um, and we sent one to a guy in Europe and he said, well, this doesn't fit my cane. And we're like, well, what sort of cane do you have? And they had again, they've got a different brand called a comme des d'aranda. But since then we've discovered there's, um, canes manufactured in Czechoslovakia, Korea, India. So there's a huge variety. So we've got about 10 or 12 different canes. And I've been, um, working to make sure that we can fit it onto as broad a selection of canes as possible without the user having to get a new cane. If they've got one that they like, they can be confident that if they get one off the shelf, it'll fit and replace their existing content without the need for a new cane.

That's great news, Rohan. And as Peter mentioned, you can find out a lot more about the sensible at their website. sensible.com.au. That's s e n s a b a double l.com.au. And if you get in quick, their Kickstarter campaign is still up and running. So if you get in touch and donate to the Kickstarter, you can also receive a discount when the white cane tips do go live. I've been speaking today with Peter and Rohan Rickards and Cathy Leech about the sensible white cane technology, which is still undergoing a Kickstarter campaign to get off the ground and provide sensible tips to White cane users all around the world.

That's great news, Rohan. And as Peter mentioned, you can find out a lot more about the sensible at their website. sensible.com.au. That's s e n s a b a double l.com.au. And if you get in quick, their Kickstarter campaign is still up and running. So if you get in touch and donate to the Kickstarter, you can also receive a discount when the white cane tips do go live. I've been speaking today with Peter and Rohan Rickards and Cathy Leech about the sensible white cane technology, which is still undergoing a Kickstarter campaign to get off the ground and provide sensible tips to White cane users all around the world.