Echosense
Helping visually impaired individuals navigate safely and confidently through sound.
EchoSense is a voice-first virtual training platform that empowers visually impaired by making echolocation practice and spatial awareness training accessible, engaging, and scalable.
The platform enables users to explore real-world environments, and navigate independently.
Challenges
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Navigating unfamiliar environments often causes anxiety and disorientation.
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Traditional mobility aids lack broader spatial context and route preview.
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Echolocation training is difficult to access and rarely practiced in safe, controlled environments.
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My Role
Product Manager + Design Lead
Tools
Figma, Unity, Photoshop, Illustrator
Team
Me + 4 Developers
Duration
Aug 2024- Ongoing
Company
Bloomberg + EchoSense
Product Development
Process
Research · Synthesis · Scope
Background Research
Visually impaired individuals in NYC face significant challenges navigating noisy, dynamic urban environments due to limited spatial awareness and unreliable assistive technologies.
200,000 New Yorkers suffer from visual impairment
60% Live independently & have reported difficulty navigating
20% Of visually impaired know how to echolocate
Stakeholder Research
Rich Picture Diagram mapping the environment, stakeholders, and challenges faced by visually impaired users navigating urban streets. This visual helped define the problem space.
Market Positioning
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Expanding storytelling accessibility
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Enhancing creator opportunities
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Differentiating through user experiences
User Research
22 User Interviews
Conducted semi-structured interviews with visually impaired individuals and experts from accessibility organizations such as AFB, Visions and Lighthouse Guild to understand navigation challenges.
Daniel Kish
President, World Access for Blind & Echolocation Expert
Tony Stephens
Vice-President, American Federation of Blind
Visions
White Cane Awareness Day
October 17, 2024
"Echolocation must be augmented for clearer echoes in noisy urban environments."
"Technology should empower visually impaired individuals to maximize their own capabilities."
"Safety is a key concern, current tech fails to detect fast-moving cars for visually impaired users."
Customer Journey Map
Mapping the Bob's user journey from his house to Central Park, identifying pain points, and emotions while navigating streets independently.
Behavioral Archetypes
Independent Navigator
The Virtual Explorer
Visually impaired individuals prioritizing autonomy and confidence in navigating urban spaces.
Seamless, real-world navigation support that reduces dependence on others and enhances spatial awareness.
Who Are They?
Need
Visually impaired users curious about exploring new places and experiences through virtual environments.
Immersive, accessible virtual tools designed to support spatial learning and echolocation training.
Affinity Mapping
I used affinity mapping to organize interview insights, clustering user needs, pain points, and behaviors around themes like safety, autonomy, and echolocation training. This process helped prioritize core design opportunities for EchoSense based on recurring user challenges.
Feature Prioritization
MoSCoW
Prioritized core features for safety and navigation; advanced and social features reserved for future iterations.
Build
Prototype · Test · Iterate
Risk Sequencing
Experiments
Experiment 1
Spatial Sound Accuracy
Tested real-time 3D spatial audio precision, enabling users to distinguish walls and corners through sound.
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Experiment 2
Structured & Unstructured Navigation
Validated echolocation feasibility by guiding blindfolded users through maze levels and a 3D model of Roosevelt Island.
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Experiment 3
GPS Coordinate Translation
Mapped real-world GPS coordinates into virtual space, ensuring accurate navigation with Google Directions API integration.
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Solution
Accessibility Considerations
UI design features to ensure blind and low-vision users can navigate independently through voice control, haptics, and customizable audio-visual settings.
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Follows WADG principles for inclusive design.
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Supports voice control, haptics, and audio tuning.
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Offers high-contrast and vibrant modes for low vision.
Settings
Color Palette
Pop Ups
Prototype
Feature 1: Secure Login & Settings
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Voice, email, or guest login
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Auto voice control after login
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Settings for sound, haptics, display
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Profile with history, stats, preferences
Feature 2: Virtual Exploration
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Select environments like streets, parks.
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Navigate with voice or directional input
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Adjust echo, volume, and ambient sound
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Practice spatial awareness in real-time
Feature 3: Echolocation Training
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Train with sound to detect objects
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Select levels from Beginner to Expert
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Adjust echo, noise, and complexity
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Practice distance, shape, and motion
Feature 4: Gamification
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Level up to build skills
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Earn stars, points, and badges
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Track stats and achievements
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Play solo or with friends
Features Breakdown
Feature 1: Login User Flow
User Profile Settings
Feature 2: Virtual Exploration
Feature 3: Echolocation Training
Feature 4: Gamification
Launch
Product · Market · Impact
Market Landscape
North Star Metric
Number of visually impaired users completing 3 or more independent navigation tasks per week using EchoSense.
Input Metrics
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Measures habit formation, not downloads.
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3+ tasks/week tracks consistent use.
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Captures value as a daily mobility aid.
Revenue Strategy
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Freemium B2C app with premium upgrades
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B2B plugin via licenses, royalties, or flat rate
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Future: grants and accessibility partnerships
Impact
Selected as one of the top 3 teams out of 100 to present at the Innovation Meets Impact panel attended by 200+ industry leaders.
Future Work
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User Testing
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Convert prototype to native mobile app (iOS/Android).
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Link with virtual NYC 3D model for spatial sound navigation.
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Develop B2B plugin for NGOs, and employers.
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Add real-world environments using mapping APIs.
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Establish analytics to track engagement and refine voice interaction models.