CSUN 2026 from a DeafBlind User’s Perspective: Exploring New and Revisiting Paths to Access (Part 1)

By Scott Davert
April 14, 2026

Introduction

The 41st annual CSUN conference was a blend of new ideas, new products, and progress updates on existing products and services. It’s considered by many in the AT space to be one of the premier conferences that sparks innovation and collaboration in support of making our world a more accessible place for people with and without disabilities. I spent the full 2.5 days in the exhibit hall and still ran out of time. With approximately 125 registered vendors, it was difficult to catch them all. Even more challenging would be writing on each of those vendors. Last year, I selected 5 products to highlight, but there were so many new braille products in the exhibit hall that braille will get its own article this year. In Part 1, I will examine a few products that aren’t braille-specific, and also check in with the vendors I featured last year to see what’s new. Like last year, I’ve provided links to each vendor so that you can keep up with them yourself as time goes on. All products listed are not yet available on the market.

An Emotional Touch with Hapware

One of the interesting products I encountered this year was a product called Aleye, developed by a company called Hapware. The idea is to take facial expressions and other non-verbal cues and turn them into haptic feedback delivered through vibrations to the user. The haptic feedback is conveyed through a wristband, and the Aleye solution gets its visual input from a pair of Meta Smart Glasses, which stream video of the user’s environment.

The wristband is secured through a magnetic connection and is both sleek and lightweight. Earlier prototypes of the system were much bulkier and heavier, so it is great that Hapware has made quite a few adjustments since then. The wristband charges wirelessly and is equipped with 14 vibrotactile haptic motors spaced throughout the band. This means a user has the ability to experience not only simple vibrations, but a much more complex pattern of them.

There is also an iOS and Android application available that allows the user to customize vibration patterns, which expressions to detect, and which non-verbal cues to associate with each vibration pattern. The advantage to this method is that after setting up a few patterns and getting comfortable with them, the user can add more cues and expressions over time. For those who are DeafBlind, the advantage of such a system is that the user can track this type of information independently, which can be useful when communicating with someone who is not familiar with forms of touch communication. It also has the potential to support users who are DeafBlind who are not comfortable with the amount of touching needed when communicating directly with an individual. Though Live AI is a feature on the Meta Smart Glasses that could potentially provide this information in audio, it doesn’t currently support this type of feedback. The Look and Tell feature may convey visual information auditorily, but this has significant limitations that make it a challenge to use as a person who is DeafBlind. Thus, even if the Meta Smart Glasses began offering this information, it would still not be accessible in real time to a braille user. The Aleye has the potential to provide some of this feedback through touch, particularly in one-on-one interactions.

At the time of writing, Hapware is taking pre-orders for the product with an introductory price of $359 for the wristband, or $637 for the wristband with the first year of app subscription. Users can enter the promo code “beta25” for $25 off through May 31. The monthly subscription cost is $29. The Meta Smart Glasses must be purchased separately.

Flip the Smart Glasses Script with NAVI-FLIP

CSUN conferences are often known for their high-tech solutions, but sometimes the accessories that support that gear are just as useful. One example I came across this year was the NAVI-FLIP from FEELDOM. FEELDOM has been making phone pouches for some time now, but the NAVI-FLIP stood out to me for its range of uses. It’s designed to hold the user’s phone securely with the rear-facing camera exposed, enabling a hands-free experience while using video applications. For those who do not wish to invest in smart glasses, this allows for stable recording while on the go using a smartphone. For some hearing aid users who require a direct Bluetooth connection for audio output, it allows audio from a smartphone to be sent to their hearing aids while providing many of the same benefits. It also has pockets for items such as an ID, business cards, or credit cards.

The phone is secured inside the pouch with a harness that keeps the camera stable while on the move. The harness consists of thin but strong Velcro panels and rubberized fabric to prevent slipping, with elastic straps on all corners to accommodate different phone sizes.

It kind of resembled a holster to me within the pouch. Once the phone is secured, there is a triangular opening for the rear-facing camera. A magnetic flap closes over the front, which can be opened enough to view the phone’s screen if needed. The rubberized reinforcement helps keep it in place when the flap is open, and the phone can be adjusted up to a 90-degree angle. The NAVI-FLIP straps to the body through either a waist strap or a neck strap.

While designed for stable camera use, as a DeafBlind person who sometimes communicates with text on my touchscreen, the ability to expose my screen for viewing while keeping my phone secured to my body is very appealing. For face-to-face communication with the public, this is one less thing to worry about. One improvement worth considering would be an option to either make the window covering the touchscreen removable or allow direct touchscreen access. Though hands-free is the main focus, it would also be useful to access the touchscreen when needed. If accidental touchscreen input is a concern, Apple has already addressed this with a feature called Touch Curtain, released with iOS 26.4.

The NAVI-FLIP is available for $110.00 with free shipping.

Doing the Glide Dance with Glide

I experienced a demo of Glide in 2024, and again this year. It has come a long way in two years. To me, the device felt like a rolling carry-on suitcase, complete with wheels on the bottom and a telescopic handle on top. The handle can be adjusted for user comfort. There are three buttons on the handle that allow the user to instruct Glide to continue forward, go right, or go left. The idea is that the user walks behind the Glide and it guides them around obstacles, keeps them oriented, and allows them to move more confidently through their environment. In 2024, the company was able to guide users around the exhibit hall through the use of a controller. In 2026, the device was being demonstrated on the sidewalks surrounding the hotel without a controller. It was autonomous.

I found that Glide avoided many obstacles on the sidewalk that I wouldn’t have been aware of otherwise. These included furniture, signage, and outdoor décor. In my two-block walk, I did not collide with a single object. However, a couple of times I almost walked off the sidewalk when making turns or when the device was navigating me around objects. As a lifelong cane user, I struggled without tactile feedback from the sidewalk. Perhaps with more time to adjust my travel methodology, things like almost falling off the sidewalk wouldn’t be as much of an issue. There was also a point in the route where it wasn’t clear where to continue moving forward. Since I had set aside my cane before the test drive, it would have come in handy in that moment. A scene description feature may have made getting back on track easier, and would also be helpful when the device stops because it cannot define a clear path forward. It would also be helpful to have audio output conveyed through haptic feedback, both for DeafBlind users and for situations where hearing the audio output may be difficult. Support for external audio devices should also be considered, which would allow hearing aid users to receive the output more directly. There has certainly been a tremendous amount of progress over the past two years, and I hope development toward a finished product continues. At the time of writing, Glidance lists “early 2027” for when Glide will start shipping. They are taking pre-orders starting at $1,199 for the device, or $1,500 with a one-year subscription.

Progress Continues

Though these were the vendors I featured last year, several have continued to update and innovate. This section checks in with each of them to showcase their progress.

Since last year, Agiga has been focused on getting more pairs of EchoVision glasses into the hands of those who pre-ordered. They have launched a Pioneers program, which allows those who have completed pre-orders to receive a pair of EchoVision glasses for testing and feedback, with the understanding that this is an in-progress product. At the time of writing, the glasses are working with Aira and Be My Eyes for hands-free calling, Live AI, Reading Mode, and other options. Agiga emphasized the high value that current Pioneers have already contributed to the project, and the author of this article can attest to many improvements since receiving his pair in December 2025, including more reliability when pairing with Bluetooth audio devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implant processors. Work is ongoing, and they invite those interested to continue following updates. The cost for the EchoVision glasses will be $599, with a yet-to-be-determined subscription fee once the final version is released.

Clix Therapy has been continuing to offer its products. The representative was not able to point to any new products announced in the past year.

Though Dream Vision was not an exhibitor, they did announce upgrades to the Activator Pro. The newest release features a macros function that allows users to assign workflows to keyboard shortcuts. The update also adds the name of the active channel directly on the braille display, display of the last braille output when switching to internal mode, and new options added to the Editor. For specific details, see the new firmware announcement. Damian Pickering indicated that HelpTech hopes to have new devices to show off in the fall.

OneCourt was also not an exhibitor, but has made considerable progress since CSUN 2025. Their at-home device is now available for pre-order via their waiting list. The product is anticipated later this year, and prices have not been publicly announced. They also continue to roll out the device to NBA stadiums and plan to be available for the FIFA 2026 tournament.

NewHaptics attended CSUN and had made several improvements to their four-line braille device called the Codex. The device now includes a suite of nine games: Wordle, Solitaire, Battleship, Minesweeper, Boggle, Whack-a-Mole, Coin Catch, Conway’s Game of Life, and Draw the Zig. These games are adaptations of classic games and are fully playable using the Codex’s touch-sensitive display. NewHaptics also showed a new form of panning. While most braille displays require the user to lift their hands from the display to pan, the Codex allows the user to swipe three fingers right or left to pan accordingly, without having to move their hands to another button or rely on timed panning. The Codex now supports both the NVDA and JAWS screen readers.

Conclusion

Overall, this year felt like a snapshot of an ecosystem that is steadily maturing. Across the board, there is a clear push toward refining ideas that have been in development for years, while also exploring new ways to deliver information through touch, audio, and hybrid approaches. Some products are still finding their footing, others are edging closer to something that feels ready for everyday use, and a few are already making a meaningful impact for those willing to be early adopters.

What stood out most was the continued shift toward giving users more control over how they receive and interact with information. One such area will be explored in Part 2 of this coverage, focused on braille access.