In Kano, where navigating busy streets and everyday public spaces can present significant challenges for people living with visual impairment, one young innovator has turned a desire to help into a technology project with ambitions beyond his community.
Khalifa Aminu, a 20-year-old self-taught inventor, began developing sensory glasses after witnessing the mobility difficulties experienced by visually impaired people around him.
Rather than relying on expensive imported assistive technologies, Aminu set out to build a more affordable device using electronics that could be sourced locally.
His early prototype incorporated ultrasonic and infrared sensors designed to detect obstacles and provide alerts to the wearer.
But the project quickly moved beyond a conventional engineering exercise. Aminu tested the first device with a visually impaired man in his community, using the wearer’s experience to identify shortcomings and determine what needed to change.
The feedback led to several modifications, including replacing simple alert beeps with voice prompts that could communicate information more clearly to users.
Aminu also reduced the size of the hardware and introduced wireless controls, making the device more practical for everyday use.
From prototype to Glass V2
Those early experiments have now evolved into Glass V2, a significantly more advanced version of Aminu’s assistive technology.
Unlike the initial prototype, which was primarily designed to warn users about obstacles, the upgraded device incorporates artificial intelligence and camera-tracking technology.
The aim is to provide users with a broader understanding of their surroundings and improve spatial awareness.
The integration of AI represents a major step in the development of the glasses, potentially allowing the technology to interpret visual information rather than simply detect objects in the wearer’s path.
For Aminu, the progression from basic sensors to AI-powered technology reflects an effort to create an assistive device that responds more naturally to the needs of visually impaired users.
Real-world feedback drives development
One of the defining features of Aminu’s project has been its emphasis on testing the technology with an actual user.
The experience of the visually impaired man who tested the original prototype directly influenced the design of subsequent versions.
The shift from beeps to spoken alerts, for example, was based on the need for information that users could understand more easily while moving through their environment.
The approach demonstrates how practical feedback can shape assistive technology, particularly when developers are designing for people whose needs may not be fully captured by technical specifications alone.
Aminu’s work has also highlighted the potential of locally sourced components in developing technologies for people with disabilities in Nigeria.
Government takes notice
The innovation has attracted attention beyond Kano.
Nigeria’s National Commission for Persons with Disabilities invited Aminu to Abuja to demonstrate the technology and discuss its potential for local production.
The invitation represents a significant development for the young inventor, whose project began as a self-driven attempt to address a problem he had witnessed in his own community.
Greater institutional interest could potentially help bridge the gap between a promising prototype and a product capable of being produced and distributed on a wider scale.
For assistive technologies in Nigeria, local production could also help address some of the affordability and accessibility challenges associated with imported devices.
Community support grows
Aminu has also received backing from civic organisations in Kano.
The Kano Patriotic Front has provided workspace support and funding to help advance the project, giving the young innovator additional resources to continue developing the glasses.
Such support could prove crucial as Aminu moves from experimentation and prototyping towards more sophisticated engineering, testing and potential commercial production.
The journey of Glass V2 illustrates the potential of grassroots innovation to address local challenges with locally available resources.
At just 20, Aminu is now working on technology that began with a simple observation in his community but has grown into an ambitious attempt to use artificial intelligence and affordable electronics to improve mobility for visually impaired people.
With government agencies and civic groups taking an interest, the next challenge will be turning the promising prototype into a reliable, affordable and scalable assistive device that can reach the people it was designed to serve.