Simon Wheatcroft, a UK-based blind runner, uses a mobile application to overcome his challenge to do what he loves - to run.
The app, which he developed in partnership with IBM, uses coordinates to plot a route. Working with IBM Cloud developers and designers, Wheatcroft has created a ground-breaking mobile app on IBM Cloud, which guides him through the course, alerts him to upcoming obstacles, helps to keep him on pace, and more.
Using IBM Cloud tools such as Watson and Cloudant APIs, the app fuses together three technology pillars to do this.
The app integrates Watson APIs to learn Wheatcroft's route and chart his course, as well as monitor and analyse his biometrics and sentiment throughout the actual run. Watson's natural learning capabilities then gauge his progress and relay insights based on this data.
Using GPS and location-based data, the app quickly analyses his accuracy for staying on-course, and alerts him if he needs to readjust his route. Additionally, this data warns him of upcoming obstacles, as well as gives him audible feedback about his distance and pace.
Wheatcroft has been working with IBM designers to build this app with IBM Design-Thinking principles - keeping the interface and user experience simple, high-quality and optimally functional.
The blind runner recently attempted to conquer a 258km race through the Namibian desert - one of the world's most challenging courses - using the app.
The app was a key component allowing him to compete alone. He managed 161km into the race before having to pull out because of the terrain and extreme heat. However, he says next year, he will be up to the challenge.
"It's never easy, but stopping is not an option," Wheatcroft said in a recent interview with ITWeb.
Wheatcroft lost his sight when he was 17. "I started running because I was broke and needed something to do. I figured that running was cheap so I went outside with a pair of shoes I was owning and started doing it.
"I often see technology as an opportunity - a new piece of technology always opens new possibilities. The idea of running solo has always been in the back of my mind. I've been dreaming about it for four years. It took me some time to become mentally comfortable with the concept.
"When I started, I ran into lampposts and traffic lights and trees. When you're charging forward at a high velocity, anything you crash into can cause pain."
There are currently no apps specifically designed for the blind running community. When Wheatcroft began running in 2010, he relied on apps designed for sighted runners.
He started using Runkeeper several years ago, which allows him to map out a route, track his speed, and receive audio signals that inform him when he needs to turn left or right. When Google Glass came out, he immediately saw its potential for blind runners. But none of these technologies are perfectly suited to his needs.
He has also participated in the famous Boston Marathon.
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