Did you know that almost 90% of the world’s visually impaired people live in developing countries? When Sidharth Anantha learned this fact, he resolved to find a way to help. Sidharth knew that many of these people, including in his birthplace of India, wouldn’t be able to access the more expensive, high-tech solutions available in countries like the United States. So, he resolved to create something that more people could afford. On a flight to India one day, Sidharth noticed a woman tapping a stick to count the rows she passed to find her seat. From this observation, he got the idea for a hands-free device that could help blind people navigate their surroundings more easily. Sidharth’s invention uses echo-location and machine learning to locate objects in space around the user. The device combines sonar in small-factor form with an Arduino® processor (a small, open-source microprocessor that makes it very easy for people to create digital devices on their own) to provide auditory or haptic feedback when approaching an obstacle. The device is small enough to be attached to a shoe or glasses, making it easy to use and cheap to manufacture. Sidharth named his invention "Seeing for the Blind."  

Like so many other successful inventors, Sidharth continually improved his initial invention to make it more functional and easier to use. He created a version that uses a Raspberry Pi® microcomputer connected to a camera and machine learning program, all powered by a portable battery pack. This improvement enabled the identification of objects directly in front of the user, so that users could be alerted through an audible announcement. Both versions are able to fit in one belt pouch, allowing the user to switch between them depending on the situation. Eventually, Sidharth hopes to create a version of Seeing for the Blind that actually identifies objects themselves, not just their location in space.  

Sidharth won many awards for his invention, including the Henry Ford’s Model I Youth Innovator Award. He was granted U.S. Patent No. 10,900,788 B2 for his invention on January 26, 2021. Sidharth is passionate about all things related to flight, and just completed a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan. His goal is to become an aerospace engineer and design jets that run on clean energy. “I want to have a meaningful effect on the world,” he says.