Rice University students develop vibration-vest to guide blind dogs navigate

Express Tribune

14-06-2025

A team of Rice University engineering students has developed a high-tech vest to help blind dogs navigate their environments more safely and independently.
The wearable, inspired by a Houston dog named Kunde, uses real-time spatial sensing and vibrations to warn animals of nearby obstacles.
The project began when Kunde's owners, Grant Belton and AJ Price, contacted Rice's Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen for a solution to help their dog move freely after losing his sight to glaucoma.
Four undergraduates—Adam Vuong, Cristiana De Sousa, Issy Tsai, and Santiago Brent—took on the challenge, forming a team known as "Kunde's Friends."
Rather than relying on traditional mobility aids that allow animals to bump into objects for feedback, the students designed a vest equipped with linear resonant actuator motors.
These motors, similar to those found in smartphones and smartwatches, emit directional vibrations when obstacles are nearby. T
he stronger and more localised the vibration, the closer the object.
A pair of stereoscopic cameras mounted near the dog's head capture depth information, which is processed in real time by a vision system housed on a custom-printed circuit board.
This data determines which part of the vest vibrates, effectively giving the dog a "second set of eyes."
'The cameras create a depth map,' said Tsai, a freshman electrical engineering student who developed the vest's motor control system. 'The closer an obstacle is, the stronger the vibration on that side of the vest.'
Building a comfortable, weather-resistant vest posed an additional challenge. De Sousa, a junior in mechanical engineering, noted the importance of creating a design durable enough for outdoor play but light and breathable enough for Houston's climate.
'It was a real exercise in creative problem-solving,' she said.
The team divided responsibilities based on expertise. Brent, an electrical engineering junior, handled imaging and data processing. Vuong and De Sousa worked on system integration and vest design, while Tsai ensured the motor system remained lightweight and efficient.
The use of open-source machine learning tools and low-cost electronics helped keep the vest accessible and adaptable.
The team believes their design could be scaled or modified for other uses, including wearable rehabilitation aids for people.
'This project shows that with the right combination of low-power sensors and haptic feedback, it is possible to provide real-time spatial guidance in a lightweight, unobtrusive way,' Brent said.
The current prototype has a range of up to eight metres and a battery life of about two hours. Kunde continues to test the latest version, which aims to reduce collisions and increase confidence during movement.
The students showcased their invention at the 2025 Huff OEDK Showcase in April.
By addressing a specific need with scalable technology, the project may have broader implications beyond helping blind dogs—potentially influencing future wearable tech for humans.