I've been blind since birth so I learnt how to code and created an app for blind people
“I wanted to make sure that people with visual impairments didn’t have to rely on strangers.”
An 18-year-old partially blind man from Blackpool has developed an app to help visually impaired people navigate the world more safely and independently.
Riley Burrell, 18, from Blackpool, has developed Echopath, an accessibility-focused app which brings together navigation and AI features to help people with sight loss better understand and navigate their surroundings.
Riley, who has been partially-sighted since he was a baby, used his own struggles as inspiration and first came up with the idea around a year ago. “I wanted to make sure that people with visual impairments didn’t have to rely on strangers,” he told the Gazette.
“There are quite a few apps out there that cover different areas, but I hope that Echopath will bring all of these functions together into one, easy-to-use app. As a teenager myself, I know how costly multiple subscriptions and apps can become, so I wanted to create a one-stop shop for those living with sight loss.”
The app provides spoken, turn-by-turn navigation, helping users understand where they are and what is around them. It can identify objects from photographs, recognise buildings, answer spoken questions and provide information about where a user needs to go.
It also includes a built-in timer which can alert an emergency contact if a user does not reach their destination within a set period of time.
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Riley taught himself coding and built most of the app himself while studying a technology course at B&FC, where he was named student of the year. He is now testing its functions and hopes to launch in 2027.
“I’ve been embarrassed and self-conscious when out in public before, so having an app that can help me get around, be accessible and be able to live my life would have made a huge difference, especially for younger people or visually impaired teenagers who just want to be as independent as they can,” Riley added.
“I hope to eventually roll it out to as many visually impaired people as possible to ensure it helps them in their everyday lives.”