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Technology

Kenyan app uses AI to guide visually impaired users through city streets

Friday, 21 August 2026, 06:28 · 1 min read

A Nairobi-developed navigation app called Sightra is using artificial intelligence to help visually impaired people move more independently through Kenya's often unpredictable urban infrastructure. The web-based app, created by founders Ruth Nzuki and Brian Gillo, uses AI-powered object detection to identify obstacles in a user's path and relay that information as real-time spoken audio through an earpiece, complementing rather than replacing a traditional white cane. Crucially, the system has been trained on Kenyan and African road conditions — including open drains, broken surfaces, and informal crossings — making it more relevant than tools built for smoother, more predictable environments elsewhere; the developers currently offer it free for the first six months, followed by an annual subscription of $100.

Sources
AfricanewsPhone app helps Kenya's visually impaired get around ↗︎
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