Benvision

There are 3.2 Million Americans live with low vision and by 2050, it will be 8 million. Existing navigation technology solutions for low vision and blind individuals are limited and flawed. Moreover, they are not tailored to businesses or venues, and restrict user autonomy and experience. In navigation tech for visually impaired users, there are only two common approaches: Human Aid on Video Call or an AI "Scene Reader". A human aid is on a call with the user, describing their surroundings while an AI detects the surroundings of the user and speaks out a description. But these approaches lead to some problems, like dropped calls and too slow for real time assistance.

Our solution BEN uses object detection and advanced audio engineering to transform landscapes into symphonic soundscapes. Our software allows users to navigate in an immersive, elegant new way.  BEN uses real time navigation where spatial audio cues containing intuitive melodies are assigned to detected objects for an instinctive, familiar, and beautiful navigation experience. We only require a charged device and our harmonized musical soundscapes inform the user of ones surroundings and give a uniquely elevated experience.

Benvision App Demo

Our solution helps improve the lives of the visually impaired so that they are able to not just navigate but also experience an enhanced understanding of the world through musical perception.

1. Increase Independence - perform daily tasks independently, such as navigation, reading, and information retrieval.

2. Object Recognition - enable the identification of objects, people, and obstacles in the environment, enhancing safety and awareness.

3. Social Inclusion - the solution could contribute to increased social interaction and inclusion in both indoor and outdoor environments.

4. Empowerment through Technology - empower the visually impaired to overcome challenges, break down barriers, and participate more actively in various aspects of life.

We have a shared passion, diverse backgrounds, and a seamless blend of skills including AI and Augmented Reality expertise. In addition, we have  recently partnered with Microsoft, Snapdragon glasses and the Oral Hull Foundation for the Blind in Oregon which provides us with better insight among those who are visually impaired. One of the pain point we identified with the visually impaired is still the difficulty in navigating hotels, museums and public educational institutions, even with a federal law mandating the provision of assistive technology in every public agency. 

Patrick Burton - creatived technologist, entepreneur, disability advocate and volunteer

Louell Sala MD MBA - physician, web developer with over 5 years experience in startup field and LGBTQIA+ community volunteer  

Aaditya Vaze - XR Developer and rapid prototyper with 3 years building high impact software solutions

Soobin Ha - Audio Designer and composer with over 10 years experience in film and gaming Industry

Mateusz Kierepka - CTO and expert back end developer for 20 years in development of Medtech solutions. He also authored various publications including New approach towards 3D data visualization during medical procedures using mixed reality and Development of mixed reality interactive visualization for three-dimensional echocardiography

Lucas Thin - UI/UX designer and National Design Singapore scholar

Advisory Board

Our advisory board will provide expertise, experience and strategic guidance in decision processes. We have industry networks that we can communicate directly providing input and participating in discussions related to key initiatives, challenges, and opportunities.

Chris McNally - Legally blind technologist passionate about assisting people with low vision and blindness

Judy Balint - Global Marketing Executive for major corporations and entepreneurial start ups in digital media, fashion and logistics

Dylan Fox - Designer and Researcher specializing in accessibility for emerging technologists

Thomas Lewis - Principal Developer Advocate in Microsoft's Developer Relations for Spatial Computing + Green Software Engineering

Our solution emphasizes on the beauty of the sorroundings rather than pure navigation which most solutions in the market provides. BEN also works in real-time navigation and it doesn’t rely on a video call with a human aid.

1. Uniqueness - while most solutions in the market is purely navigational, we look at it in terms of how we perceive beauty. If we can use the spectrum of light to see our environment, then how great would it be if we can also use the frequency of sound.  

2. Addressing Unment needs - the primary pain point based on on research for the visually impaired in the difficulty in travelling independently especially in museums and educational institutions. 

3. User Centric design - we iterated our solution based on input by one of the visually impaired individuals (Chris McNally) and always in collaboration with visually impaired groups and institutions.

Creating a solution that has a more holistic approach rather than purely navigational provides better well-being for the visually impaired. We understand the pain points of traveling especially going through hotels, museums and educational institutions and our solution creates a better experience for the visually impaired.

We are using Artificial Intelligence to identify objects like chair, tv, potted plant and water bottle and once the AI identifies them, we then convert those images into symphonies. Every stationary object in the environment is associated with a unique ambient sounds, while haptics indicate whether they are interactive, providing a one-of-a-kind beautiful synesthetic experience. These experience will mimic 4 aspects of vision namely: (1) Look; (2) Focus through use of controller; (3) Observe and (4) Enjoy which includes activation of particle.

Currently, we have clearly define roles and responsibilities regarding AI development, deployment, monitoring and accountability for addressing issues that may arise. We do not collect patient data as of the moment but if ever that changes, we have a responsibility to be HIPAA compliant.

Our goal in the next five years is to ensure that visually impaired individuals will have a more holistic experience navigating ones sorroundings. Our objectives include among others:

Increased Accessibility - measure user percentage increase 

Enhanced Independence - evaluate daily activities without assistance

Community Inclusion - measure social interactions through our meetup group

Affordability and Availability - assess product affordability and availability compared to other solutions in the market  

We currently have 5 full time staff and 5 part time.

We have been working on the solution since January 2023 and have been iterating based on our interactions and research.

Since winning in the MIT Reality Hack 2023 (Working Together for Inclusion and Equality Track) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, we have incorporated in Delaware and constantly iterate our product. We released our beta version last month and in 1st Quarter of 2024 we will be available on IOS.

We adopt an inclusive design approach to ensure that the product is accessible and usable by a wide range of users, including those with different abilities, cultural backgrounds, and perspectives as well as actively seek feedback from a diverse group of users and stakeholders.

Patrick is a tech team leader, part time educator, and public speaker with a background designing AR experiences, video, and motion graphics for top brands. He also volunteers at the Oral Hull Foundation for the blind.

Louell practiced medicine for more than 12 years in the Philippines before coming to the United States. He has been in the startup field for 5 years and volunteers at the New York Public Library - Stephen Schwarzman Building and the Brooklyn Community Pride Center in Brooklyn New York.

Aaditya is South Asian - Canadian and a self-driven XR Developer based in Toronto. He has experience in leading and developing products for startups and working at research labs to create fast-paced tech products.

Soobin is a korean audio designer and composer with 10 years experience in the film and gaming industries. She also graduated summa cum laude at the Berklee College of Music and is dedicated to creating immersive experiences that resonate with audiences.

Lucas is an LGBTQIA+ UI/UX designer and National Design Singapore Scholar. 

Mateusz is a versatile Polish senior programmer and a self-directed leader can foster a collaborative and supportive team environment from Poland.

Building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment is a multifaceted and ongoing process and it is important to have leadership commitment and inclusive policies. At Benvision Inc, we have a welcoming culture, flexible work environment and we promote and collaborate especially with marginalized sectors.

We have a clearly defined mission and vision and we implement an inclusive design approach to ensure that the product is accessible to users with diverse levels of visual impairment. We conduct extensive user testing with visually impaired individuals to gather feedback on usability and effectiveness and iterate the product based on user feedback to continually improve user experience. 

We define and implement a phased development approach with clear milestones and implement mechanisms for continuous improvement, including regular updates and feature enhancements. In addition, we also identify potential partnerships with organizations working in the field of visual impairment such as the Oral Hull Foundation for the blind in Oregon and constantly collaborate with experts and stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and well-informed approach in our strategies.

We are a B corporation registered in Delaware and currently, we are looking for adaptable and collaborative partners willing to support our mission and vision. 

1. Capital Raising - we are fundraising by applying to various accelerators and Venture Capital

2. Partnerships and Government Grants - we have partnered with Microsoft, Snapdragon, and the Oral Hull Foundation for the blind and also applying to various government grants

3. Revenue - we have an enterprise subscription model tailored on location with a supplementary revenue which includes consumer subscription which is free basic features and a premium option.

We currently have monthly USD 5,000 operations cost and we have a projected cost USD 250,000

1. Product Development and Research - 34%

2. Employee Salary - 25%

3. Operations - 16%

4. Legal/Compliance and Insurance - 14%

5. HR Training and Benefits - 6%

6. Marketing and Sales - 5%

We are requesting for a funding of USD 100,000 for operations costs including iterations, additional features for product development and begin beta testing in real world scenarios. If selected we would use the 100,000 in the following:

1. Product Development and Research - USD 34,000

2. Employee Salary - USD 25,000

3. Operations - USD 16,000

4. Legal/Compliance and Insurance - USD 14,000

5. HR Training and Benefits - USD 6,000

6. Marketing and Sales - USD 5,000

The Cure Residency will give Accessibility priority and to be front and center in the discussions for Inclusion and Equity. The Financial Support provided  will also be crucial for covering current operational costs and mentorship can provide insights and contribute to the overall growth of Benvision. 

Our initial focus includes the visually impaired groups in New York and Portland Oregon, hence a dedicated space which provides a center for educational programs and networking can open up our company to various opportunities for not only financing but also partnerships. 

Benvision is also the Winner of Working Together for Inclusion and Equality Track in Reality Hack 2023 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. With this traction, we want to be included in a community of founders and ventures passionate about helping alleviate the plight of marginalized communities such as the visually impaired.