SPAD sensor utilization for compensatory devices for the visually impaired

Svarovsky, s.r.o. is the largest European manufacturer of white canes with a 20-year tradition. They produce circa 18,000 items annually, of which 90% of them are intended for export.
Czech Space Research Center company participated on the European Laser Timing project - ESA ACES experiment. This project used the principle of detecting the impact of a photon sent by a laser on a SPAD (Single Photon Avalanche Diode) sensor. The moment of photon impact is sensed by the SPAD detector with such a resolution that it allows the calculation of the distance with very high accuracy.
Svarovsky, s.r.o. decided to use this sensor technology to create a device that could be integrated into the handle of a blind cane and would allow the user to keep an awareness of their surroundings using an acoustic signal or vibration.
The project was scouted by Technology Centre Prague and supported by €60,000 from the ESA Spark Funding programme within the project ESA Technology Broker.