Date: Jun 26, 2013 Source: Arkansas Business (
click here to go to the source)
MAGNOLIA, Ark. -- Fauxsee Innovations has won a $150,000 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I award from the National Science Foundation to support the development of its Roboglasses™ assistive device for the sight-impaired.
The Magnolia-based company is led by co-founders Brandon Foshee and Tim Zigler. The company's Roboglasses™ are designed to dramatically reduce head and upper-body injuries to the sight impaired, as well as reduce incidents of injuries inflicted upon those around them.
More than 160 million visually impaired people worldwide could potentially benefit from using Roboglasses in conjunction with traditional mobility devices, such as the guide dog or walking cane, since these traditional technologies can't protect the user from upper body hazards. Studies have shown that more than 46 percent of the 11.4 million visually impaired people in America experience head injuries at least once a month, with 23 percent of those injuries requiring medical attention.
Foshee, who has no light perception and uses a guide dog to navigate, said the inspiration for Roboglasses™ came after Zigler, his brother-in-law, met him and grew curious about the lack of available modern technology to assist sight-impaired individuals.
"I came up with the idea while backing up my car and listening for the beeps from my reverse detection system," Zigler said. "I instantly called Brandon and told him my idea, and he liked it. In the beginning it wasn't a business idea at all, but simply a guy trying to help his brother-in-law out."
Fauxsee Innovations engaged the Department of Engineering Technology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and its rapid prototype facilities to execute the Roboglasses™ design and retained Dr. William H. Jacobson to provide domain expertise in mobility and orientation. Jacobson is professor and department chair of Counseling, Adult and Rehabilitation Education at UALR.
Zigler and Foshee worked extensively with Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center's innovation consultant, Rebecca Norman, on their SBIR proposal. At first, the two were overwhelmed by the steps required to participate in the SBIR program and were considering raising only private money to support their research and development efforts. "Rebecca Norman of the ASBTDC talked us back into going after SBIR funds," said Foshee. "She not only encouraged us to try again but was there in the trenches with us every step of the way."
Sharon Ballard of EnableVentures, Inc. and experts at Innovate Arkansas also assisted in the development of their winning proposal and related commercialization approach. The company received Arkansas Science and Technology Alliance financial support for proposal preparation services.
"Without such support and hands-on assistance, we would have been as lost and in the dark as I am without Roboglasses," said Foshee.
Continued success in the NSF SBIR program will enable Fauxsee Innovations to develop a commercial-ready product that will prevent injury and improve quality of life for sight-impaired individuals and their families worldwide.
