Mumbai Student Develops ClearWay Mobility Attachment for Standard White Canes

Mumbai-based early-stage assistive mobility venture ClearWay Mobility has introduced a smart attachment designed to integrate obstacle detection into the standard white cane used by visually impaired individuals. Developed by 17-year-old Mumbai student Jaiveer Talwar, the device aims to enhance navigation in busy urban environments without forcing users to replace their existing canes or rely on a smartphone.

The journey of ClearWay Mobility began five years ago as a school science-fair project at The Cathedral & John Connon School in Mumbai. Talwar, interested in the intersection of technology and entrepreneurship, sought to address the mobility challenges faced by visually impaired people navigating crowded streets, uneven pavements, and unpredictable obstacles in the city.

In 2024, Talwar completed an internship with a prosthetics company to gain practical exposure to assistive technologies and mobility challenges. By 2026, a revised version of the ClearWay attachment underwent testing with students and teachers at the Smt. Kamla Mehta Dadar School for the Blind in Mumbai.

Feedback from the school testing highlighted the importance of simplicity, reliability, and ease of use in assistive devices. Additionally, discussions during the visit raised safety concerns regarding visually impaired young women. In response, the current version of ClearWay incorporates GPS tracking, allowing family members to check a user's location when needed.

The device has been built around three primary design priorities: affordability, reliability, and ease of use. It operates independently, alerting users to obstacles through vibration and optional audio feedback. The product has now entered the manufacturing stage with an initial production batch underway.

Looking ahead, the venture's next phase will focus on refining the product through continued user feedback, collaborating with institutions for wider testing and deployment, and exploring methods to make the device accessible at scale.

"ClearWay Mobility demonstrates how young entrepreneurs can identify real-world accessibility challenges and engineer practical solutions. By focusing on an existing tool like the standard white cane rather than forcing users to adopt entirely new habits or expensive hardware, the venture addresses usability and affordability directly. As the company moves into manufacturing and institutional testing, maintaining product reliability and gathering continuous user feedback will be critical for sustainable growth in the assistive technology sector." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes