From the very beginning, our goal was to find a solution to existing problem, rather than create fancy new problem. We want to create a tool blind person would find useful. We want to make something worthy that could improve someone’s life.

Because of this, we have worked closely with Daniel, who is blind from his birth, and who we met while working on Ariadne Headband. Daniel tests our prototypes of Ariadne Headband and gives us feedback on what we could improve. His opinions are very important for us, because Ariadne Headband should in future serve people like him. There are, simply said, some problems we would not even think of.

While Daniel tested how Headband works and we often exchanged our opinions, we have not yet made “in-the-wild” test with him. So this week, we have decided to go to the park together to show him second version of Ariadne Headband and let him try it.

We firstly made a short guide how to use our Android app, mainly Bookmarked locations because they were added recently and Daniel did not tried them before. Then we presented him the new version of Ariadne and described things we changed. New version uses more suitable vibration motors and, what is very important, is now modular. That means you can unplug the gray box from the rubber headband and connect it into different wearable, like a hat in winter. We will take a look on this change in different log.

As it is with every product presentation, everything that can break, will break. We had some problems that appeared just before the testing, so Tomas had to take his laptop and fix them right in the park, while Daniel patiently waited. He was very interested in testing Ariadne Headband, because he is very supportive of what we do so he did not really mind. It was just slightly embarrassing.

We have fixed the issues eventually and Daniel was free to test Ariadne Headband. It was nice to see someone else try our device. Nice way to spend a day!