I’ve been using the WeWalk smart white cane for over a month now. After just a week, it became my main mobility cane—the one I take everywhere. It truly feels different from using a standard white cane without any technology.
A traditional cane doesn’t need much of an introduction—you already know what it is. But it certainly doesn’t light up, find nearby places, warn you of obstacles at head or chest height, guide you to your destination, or let you talk to it.
When I first discovered the WeWalk smart cane online, I instantly knew I had to try it. So, I bought one and have been testing it for several months now. I’m also in close contact with the manufacturer, providing feedback—after all, who better to evaluate such a product than a blind person who actually uses it every day?
I’ve tried many assistive devices before, but none have impressed me as much as this one. When it arrived and I unboxed it, it looked almost like a regular white cane—except for the handle and the tip.
Inside the handle, you’ll find a control panel with several buttons, a microphone, a speaker, a flashlight, and a sensor for detecting high obstacles. At the other end, there’s a large round rolling tip you simply can’t miss. Otherwise, the cane looks quite ordinary—except that it talks to you. You don’t need headphones, because the voice feedback comes directly from the built-in speaker.
What I love most is how simple it is to use. You don’t need a complicated manual—just unpack it, turn it on, connect it to your smartphone, and read a short guide. You’ll immediately understand what to do. I figured it out in just a few minutes without any help.
The physical buttons are tactile and uniquely shaped, so you instantly know which one does what. The speaker is loud enough to hear even in noisy environments. Because the cane talks to you, you’re always aware of what’s happening—no guessing whether it’s on, working properly, or low on battery. It’s clear that this product was designed with real thought and in cooperation with visually impaired users who know exactly what they need.
The Tip
At first, I was nervous about the cane’s large rolling tip. I’ve been used to the small ceramic tip that rolls smoothly and lets me feel every texture underfoot. This new tip looked too big—I assumed it would dull sensitivity. But the opposite turned out to be true: it’s incredibly responsive. I can feel even more surface details through it than with traditional tips. My doubts disappeared quickly, and now I wouldn’t go back.
Thanks to its size, you don’t need to use the traditional sweeping (pendulum) technique—just let it glide, as it rarely gets stuck, even on old cobblestone streets. That might sound like a small thing, but for a blind person, being able to clearly feel the surface means better awareness and confidence while walking. Sighted people might overlook this, but for us, it makes a huge difference.
Flashlight
The WeWalk cane includes a built-in flashlight. Some might consider it unnecessary—but I disagree. When using a regular white cane, I usually wear reflective clothing to stay visible, especially at crosswalks. Still, having the option to turn on a light helps even more—drivers can spot me sooner at night. I simply switch it on when crossing streets in the dark, and I feel safer knowing I’m easier to see.
Obstacle Detection
The smart cane is equipped with an ultrasonic sensor that detects obstacles at chest and head height—areas that a regular cane can’t reach. When activated, the sensor scans the space ahead and warns you of potential hazards in time.
It alerts you either through vibration or sound, depending on your preference. You can also set the detection distance to short, medium, or far range. Personally, I recommend the medium range: short detects obstacles too late, medium gives enough reaction time, far sometimes detects objects that aren’t actually in your path.
Exploring Nearby Places
When connected to a smartphone via the WeWalk mobile app, the cane can explore nearby locations using integrated map data. You can even let it guide you to a selected place. In the app, you can set the maximum distance for nearby searches—by default, it’s 200 meters, but you can adjust it as you wish.
Once your settings are ready, you can trigger the Explore function directly from the cane. Places are organized into categories for easy browsing—schools, cafés, restaurants, shops, and more. You can choose a specific category or view all places at once. After selecting a location, you can start voice-guided navigation straight from the cane.
Navigation
There are many navigation apps designed for visually impaired users. However, they all share one drawback—you must listen to voice directions through your phone, often with headphones on. For blind people, this can be uncomfortable or even unsafe, as it limits awareness of surrounding sounds.
That’s where WeWalk truly shines. You don’t need headphones—the navigation voice comes directly from the cane’s speaker. When paired with your smartphone, it gives clear step-by-step directions.
Personally, I set my destination in the WeWalk mobile app, save it to favorites, and then select it directly from the cane when I’m ready to go. My phone stays in my pocket, I hold the cane, and simply follow its spoken directions. It’s a brilliant concept—I can hear both the navigation and environmental sounds clearly.
For those who prefer, it’s also possible to connect the cane to Bluetooth headphones or hearing aids, so the sound plays privately rather than from the speaker.
When choosing a route, you can select whether you want to travel entirely on foot or combine walking with public transport. The system even provides estimated travel times, including both walking and transit segments.
Another fantastic feature is that WeWalk can also find nearby public transport stops, guide you to them, and read the timetable aloud. Once you select a connection, it will read all the stops along the route. It’s genuinely impressive.
AI Voice Assistant
While some people chat with friends, partners, or colleagues, you can chat with your WeWalk cane just like with ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or other AI tools. The cane includes a built-in AI voice assistant that answers questions and performs tasks via voice commands.
In certain situations, this assistant makes using the cane even easier—you can ask it to activate functions or provide information without touching your phone.
However, this feature is only available in the premium version of the cane and requires an internet connection through your smartphone.
WeWALK Team Note: The AI Voice Assistant feature will remain free of charge until the end of 2025. Starting January 1, 2026, it will become a subscription-based premium feature.
How I Use the Cane
What impressed me most is the tip—it gives me a sense of surface detail I’ve never experienced before. It provides greater awareness and confidence when moving independently.
I’ve also started regularly using the obstacle detection feature. It’s great to be alerted in time to obstacles that the cane itself wouldn’t catch—like those at head level. Personally, I prefer the beeping alert over vibration and keep it set to medium range.
When walking at night, especially near crosswalks or roads, I always turn on the flashlight. People might not notice a moving figure right away, but they do notice a light. I feel much safer this way, especially when crossing streets, since it draws drivers’ attention.
Navigation and the Explore Nearby function are invaluable. They help me discover places I never knew existed nearby and guide me confidently toward my destination. I know which streets I’m walking on, where to turn, and how far it is to go. Of course, GPS isn’t accurate down to the meter, so I treat it more as a navigation aid. When I’m close to my destination but can’t find the exact entrance, I can describe my location better to someone passing by and ask for help more effectively.
For example, if I’m looking for a clinic and the cane tells me it’s 60 meters to the right, but the building has several entrances, I can ask someone nearby: “I’m trying to reach the clinic about 60 meters to the right—can you point me in the right direction?” That kind of detail really helps.
The AI voice assistant is also handy for checking addresses and getting information without needing to take out my phone—I just ask.
Who Do I Recommend It For?
– Anyone with a visual impairment who travels independently and needs extra support for orientation.
– Those who dislike wearing headphones and juggling both a cane and a smartphone.
– Anyone open to modern technology and who believes, like I do, that it can truly enhance independence.
Who Might Not Need It?
– People who never travel alone and always rely on a guide.
– Those who don’t own a smartphone. (While the cane works in a limited offline mode, its full potential requires a smartphone connection—otherwise, it’s not worth the investment.)
Conclusion
The WeWalk smart cane truly deserves attention from the visually impaired community. Its smart features and ease of use can significantly enhance independent mobility. As someone who’s been blind my whole life, I see genuine potential in this device. It’s definitely worth trying and forming your own opinion.
One piece of advice: let a blind person demonstrate it to you. Trust me—you’ll gain far more insight from someone who uses it daily than from a sighted salesperson focused only on profit. We blind users value independence above all, and that’s exactly what this cane helps us achieve.
For those who aren’t fans of modern technology, this product might not be ideal. To unlock its full potential, it must be paired with a smartphone; otherwise, it can only operate in a limited mode.
With the WeWalk smart cane, I feel safer and more confident wherever I go. And as for me—I’m not putting it down anytime soon.
