Samsung creates cap for blind swimmers
16/06/2016
The Blind Cap aims to help swimmers to be more efficient when making a turn as they approach the wall of a pool. The current method, which has been used in blind swimming since its entry into the Paralympics, sees swimmers tapped on the head or back by a coach or official to indicate that they are close to the wall.
Samsung’s new development contains a Bluetooth device that can be connected to a smartphone app. The person controlling the app, likely to be a coach, will tap the screen and a signal will be sent to the cap, which will vibrate to tell the swimmer that they need to make their turn.
The Blind Cap is currently in the prototype phase and is being developed for competitive swimmers. Once completed, it is hoped that it will also allow data to be collected about the swimmer’s performance. It is not expected to be used in the upcoming Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro but Cheil Spain executive creative director, Breno Cotta, said he was excited about the innovation’s future and believes that “it will soon be a reality in the Paralympic Games”.
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