Romanian startup .lumen is transforming mobility for the visually impaired with innovative glasses that combine self-driving technology and haptic guidance to replicate the essential functions of a guide dog.
Bojan Stojkovski – Interesting Engineering
omanian startup .lumen is revolutionizing mobility for the visually impaired with its cutting-edge glasses that integrate self-driving technology to mimic the core functions of a guide dog.
The company, founded in 2020 by Cornel Amariei, aims to provide a scalable solution to a global problem. While guide dogs are effective, their $0.5 billion training cost and annual production of just 2,000 dogs fall far short of addressing the needs of over 300 million visually impaired individuals worldwide.
Leveraging autonomous driving technology
Amariei’s motivation stems from his family background, where all members except himself have disabilities. This deeply personal connection inspired him to address the lack of advanced assistive technology. Bucharest-based .lumen is now a 50-strong team of engineers, professors, disability experts, designers, and scientists dedicated to making pedestrian mobility safer and more accessible.
The .lumen Glasses employ a haptic interface that “guides” the user’s head, steering them toward safe pathways. Robert Gutt, the company’s Navigation Lead, explains that the glasses create a virtual 3D and semantic map of the surroundings, distinguishing streets, sidewalks, and other objects.
“The system is designed for outdoor use, which presents a much more complex environment. It could be in a park, at a train station, or in a large square—much more dynamic than the relatively predictable paths of an autonomous car, which must stay on the road to function. For this reason, we incorporate audio feedback. In certain situations, such as approaching stairs or a crosswalk, the system provides audio notifications to guide the user,” Gutt points out.
Additionally, the glasses can connect to Google Maps to download routes and direct users to specific destinations or objects, like benches.
A transformative impact for its users
The glasses have been tested by over 300 blind individuals from nearly 30 countries, with overwhelmingly positive feedback. Gutt recalls witnessing users walk independently without white canes for the first time, an experience so moving that it often brought tears of joy.
“Earlier today, I saw a blind person navigating this crowded area for 10 to 15 minutes—a challenging environment with so many people bumping into each other. Yet, they walked freely, without a white cane or any assistance. Witnessing this brought tears of joy to some, as it was their first experience walking unassisted,” Gutt told Interesting Engineering at CES 2025.
In July 2024, .lumen secured close to $4 million in funding from the Venture to Future Fund and the European Innovation Council. The startup plans a limited-series launch in late 2024, followed by an expansion into the U.S. market in 2025. By the end of 2026, .lumen aims to sell 10,000 units, bringing this transformative technology to a broader audience.
