September 2015 - November 2017
Collisions cannot be avoided unless you know something is there. Motorized wheelchairs are overpowered and difficult to maneuver safely. Braze Sentina and Hydra are systems designed to increase spatial awareness and avoid unwanted collisions.
In collaboration with Braze Mobility, I helped design and launch their first product. Using a background of scientific studies in conjunction with user research and co-creating, we developed the Braze Sentina and Braze Hydra.
The add-on systems provide obstacle-detection and increased awareness to a person operating a manual or electric wheelchair.
With a customizable combination of feedback modalities, users can customize the system to fit their needs. Feedback systems include a visual array, haptic feedback, and audio feedback. Each system is also designed to adapt to the user's existing model of wheelchair
A customer demonstrates how he reverses through doorways safely using the Braze Sentina. Without the device, he says, this is a maneuver he would rarely attempt.