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Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPSLeibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS

From the White Cane to the “Smart Cane”—How Can Collaborative Technology Development Work?

Research Data Infrastructures and Data Science Research data Event Science Year 2026

Can artificial intelligence make white canes “smarter”? Where can technology truly help—and where might it make things unnecessarily complicated? Researchers from various disciplines at Fulda University of Applied Sciences are addressing these questions in the “ePart” project—in collaboration with people with visual impairments.

In our live podcast event, we’d like to discuss the development process, obstacles, and solutions—and, in particular, why technological development cannot succeed without the perspective of those directly affected.


Where?
October 27, 2026 – 6:30 p.m.
U1, Lindenstraße 14, 36037 Fulda


Discussing on stage:
Rasmus Cloes leads the Transfer and Communication Team and serves as press spokesperson for the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS). For the past two years, he has hosted the Digital Public Health Podcast.
Monika Wiechers is a research associate with a Ph.D. at Fulda University of Applied Sciences and conducts research on human-machine interaction as part of the ePart project.
Lea Widmer is a person with a severe visual impairment. She is also chair of the Advisory Board for People with Disabilities (BMB) in Fulda.
Martin Kumm is a professor of embedded systems at Fulda University of Applied Sciences and is conducting research on technological solutions for people with visual impairments as part of the ePart project.
Following the event, we invite you to continue the discussion over light refreshments.


Admission is free.
The venue is accessible.
Can’t make it in person? The event will be live-streamed simultaneously: https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalPublicHealthPodcast/
The event is part of the series “Digital Health Talks – The Live Podcast on the Health of the Future” and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR) as part of the Year of Science 2026 – Medicine of the Future. The events are organized by the University of Bremen in cooperation with the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology – BIPS and Fulda University of Applied Sciences.
Further information on the event series: https://www.digital-public-health.de/dh-talks.html


Contact: health-sciences@uni-bremen.de