Computer scientists from Austria have introduced a groundbreaking shoe, called InnoMake, designed to help blind individuals navigate obstacles while walking,
Developed by Tec-Innovation and Graz University of Technology, this innovative shoe, priced at over $3,000, boasts waterproof ultrasonic sensors on each toe, capable of detecting obstacles up to 13 feet away.
As wearers approach objects, vibrations and sounds alert them, akin to parking sensors in vehicles. Markus Raffer, a visually impaired co-founder of Tec-Innovation, has lauded its effectiveness, noting personal benefits.
Each foot features a dedicated sensor, available as a complete shoe or retrofit option, capable of identifying an object’s nature, be it a wall, car, or stairs, and providing tailored alerts.
Future plans include incorporating camera-based recognition and machine learning for improved navigation assistance, potentially offering a “street view navigation map” for users.
Friedrich Fraundorfer at TU Graz emphasized the shoe’s potential to revolutionize the lives of visually impaired individuals, granting them greater independence and safety in navigating their surroundings.
Veteran actress Kathy Bates diagnosed with a serious chronic health condition
Actress Kathy Bates been a mainstay in TV and movies for a long time. Having played big roles, she is just as scary in real life as she is on television.
The actress was diagnosed with a chronic illness, which required her to make some rather major changes.
In 1970, Kathy Bates relocated to New York in order to further her acting career. She recalls how, even though she was never very smart, she managed to make things work. “I was never an ingenue,” she asserts. “My entire career, I’ve solely played supporting roles. I was always thought to be too ugly, which was a big problem for me when I was younger. According to Bates, it was difficult because there wasn’t much work and you had to accept how other people perceived you.
Her broadway career truly took off when she played Stella May in Come Back To The Five And Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean in 1980. The actress was not given the opportunity to have a few roles that she portrayed converted for the big screen. She did, however, become well-known almost immediately after turning 42 thanks to her Academy Award–winning performance as a crazy fan in Misery.
Regarding the kinds of roles she was given, she stated, “You’re either young and glamorous and you’re going to get the lead, or it’s the opposite: you’re not attractive enough.” Therefore, you’re playing a buddy, a killer, a lesbian, a physician, or anything else,” she said. But the individual who gets to play the gorgeous, successful, and young role is not in a position of authority. On the other hand, a character might be strong without being a woman.
After starting to direct episodes, she went on to do so for TV series including Homicide: Life on the Street, NYPD Blue, Oz, and the hugely successful Six Feet Under.
The actress has experienced some personal health-related difficulties. She was diagnosed with cancer twice in her lifetime, in 2003 and 2012. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2003.
Following her breast cancer surgery, actress Kathy Bates started discussing her diagnosis of lymphedema. She is the spokesperson for the Lymphatic Education & Research Network.
She disclosed that she had lost eighty pounds over the course of the preceding few years. The actress had to wear compression sleeves to keep her arms from swelling. Her disease tends to flare up without them, so she makes sure to wear them whether she is flying or doing physically hard job.
“I have more confidence in my ability to live with LE if I can stop rushing, relax my shoulders, straighten my spine, breathe deeply, and focus on each little moment of completing a task,” the actress said. To control the illness, she has to continually remind herself to take it slow. It was the epidemic that forced me to slow down.
She advises everyone who is ill to continue living their life in spite of it. “When people aren’t aware about LE, going out in public while wearing a compression garment can occasionally be more painful than the illness itself,” the actress said. However, a sedentary lifestyle and prolonged confinement to your home can only make your physical and mental health issues worse.
She stressed the significance of allowing your condition not define who you are, something she actively works to do.
She is making sure to advocate for more money to support organizations that work to raise public awareness of lymphedema and for more research to be done on the condition.
Despite her diagnosis, actress Kathy Bates keeps working on projects she loves since it is her passion!
The actor is a master at living her illness-related life to the fullest, not merely surviving it.
Inform others about this post to motivate them to fight lymphedema.
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