STAND by for the world’s first completely hands-free smartphone.
The Sesame Enable brings the mobile phone revolution to people who until now have been excluded – people with little or no use of their hands and arms.
Co-founders Giora Livne, paralysed from the neck, and former electrical engineer Oded Ben Dov teamed up in 2012 to develop the smartphone.
“I was completely dependent on people around me to communicate,” said Livne. “With the Sesame Enable I can operate a phone, read a story, call my loved ones, play games and do everything that other people do without any help.
“Sesame has allowed me to regain the freedom and independence I had been yearning for, and today those doors will be opening to millions of others.”
The Sesame phone is a Google Nexus 5 Android smartphone equipped with Sesame’s head-tracking technology and voice control. Simply say “Open Sesame” to turn on the phone, go through a calibration setup, and the built-in front-facing camera will begin tracking a user’s head movements automatically.
Users will be able to Tweet, post to Facebook, send instant messages, make phone calls, or download any of the other millions of apps and use them touch-free.
Oded Ben Dov said: “Despite all the advancements in technology today, so few are designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
“Developing the technology to power the Sesame phone has been a complex process, as each person has unique needs. Some have the full range of head motion and others can barely move their head at all.
“Yet head gesture tracking proves far more accurate and effective than gaze tracking on mobile devices. After two years of development, we are now in the final stages of R&D and are thrilled to bring to market the first truly touch-free smartphone.”
The Sesame phone has just won a Verizon Powerful answers award which recognises groundbreaking tech solutions for social good. The prizemoney is being used to donate devices to those in need. Nominations can be made here
The first Sesame Phones are expected to be available in the UK in March. The price is expected to be below £700.
Pre-orders (£460) are available through the Indiegogo platform. Click here
