Honda steps into shoe business with the introduction of Ashirase
Jerrica · Jun 27, 2021 08:00 PM
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Behold Honda’s latest creation, an in-shoe navigation system designed to make navigating safer and more convenient for visually impaired individuals! Known as Ashirase, the product is a system created by Ashirase Inc., the first business venture under Ignition, Honda’s new business creation programme.
The Ashirase is designed for those with visual impairment to strap onto their feet. The device works by applying gentle vibration to certain parts of the foot to indicate the directions.
Director of Ashirase, Wataru Chino
To be specific, to direct the wearer to go straight, the device will vibrate on the front part of the foot. Meanwhile, to indicate to turn right or left, the device will send vibrations to the right or the left side of the foot respectively.
All the user needs to do is to input their desired destination into the Ashirase app and the device will start directing the user on the direction.
Other than that, designers have also provided the system with the intuitive ability to understand the route. This way the wearer can travel to their destinations with less worry.
By sending directions to the wearer’s foot, this will free the user from the need to be constantly alert for GPS directions spoken from the speaker of their phones. They will instead be able to focus their hearing on the environment around them and remain alert to their surroundings.
Meanwhile, as visually impaired individuals usually use a cane, Ashirase will also mean that the device will free the user’s hand from needing to hold their phones as they walk.
The company hopes that the device will be able to go on sale in the first quarter of 2023.
Honda Ignition is Honda’s new business creation programme that allows Honda associates to pitch ideas and designs that will help solve social issues in Japan. All full-time Honda employees in Japan are allowed to submit a proposal.
If the ideas are accepted, Honda will then contribute to the research and development of the products and ultimately commercialise the products and ideas either within the company or via a start-up venture.
There isn’t a time in memory that doesn’t involve staring at cars. After discovering the excitement of watching Schumacher vs Hakkinen, Formula 1 became a major part of life. The love for cars and F1 ultimately led to a job with CAR Magazine. The untimely death of the magazine meant a hiatus from cars at lifestyle women’s magazine Marie Claire before another opportunity came knocking again.
