Sound-based system for orientation of persons with visual disabilities

Kroki na Guki is a sound-based navigation system for blind and visually impaired people. Informer devices connect via Bluetooth to the BuzzPoint app to provide real-time transport info, route guidance, entrance location, green-light requests and electronic queue booking. 33,000+ Informers installed.

Centre of a Successful Person LLC, based in Minsk, develops software and assistive technologies. In 2018 it launched Kroki na Guki (Steps on Sound), a system for independent navigation of people with visual disabilities. The system uses a device called ‘Informer’ and the BuzzPoint mobile app for real-time audio guidance in cities, based on Bluetooth-connections. By 2025, 33,000 informers were installed, 10,000 users trained, and it became a construction standard in Belarus.

Problems Targeted

People with visual disabilities face barriers in mobility due to lack of accessible, affordable navigation aids in public spaces.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Kroki na Guki was developed and implemented by the Centre of a Successful Persons, a small company with 12 employees founded with the objective of improving the accessibility of the environment for blind and partially sighted people in Belarus. The system consists of a device called Informer and the mobile app BuzzPoint, available both for iOS and Android. The Informer devices are installed at bus stops, pedestrian crossings, railway and metro stations, as well as in government offices, health centres, and other public buildings. They automatically connect via Bluetooth to the app when a user approaches. Users then choose between different features of the system. They can access real-time transport schedules, plan their trips, receive route arrival notifications, locate entrances, or book electronic queue tickets independently. Informers in buildings, at stops, or at traffic lights can be used to request green light signals remotely, or the user can employ an assistant feature to get photo-based object descriptions or instant answers through ChatGPT. The Centre for a Successful Person is responsible for manufacturing and programming technical devices used in their projects, Belhard Development for the software associated with these devices. By mid-2025, more than 33,000 Informer devices have been installed and over 10,000 users trained. Steps on Sounds has become a mandatory national accessibility standard in Belarus for new construction and renovation.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The project began with personal funds, received a U.S. grant in 2019, and is now sustained through sales to institutions that are offering this service to their citizens or customers. In 2023, the Centre established a business in Poland and aims to further expand internationally. (#ZeroCall26)

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