Answers for prospective users

Common questions about Ascenta

A plain-language overview of the prototype's current use, limits, privacy and availability.

Who is Ascenta intended for?

Ascenta is being developed as complementary assistance for blind and visually impaired people. The prototype is intended to call attention to people and obstacles at head and torso height that a white cane may not always detect.

What can the prototype do today?

In its current test setup, Ascenta detects people, assigns a distance measured by a time-of-flight sensor and provides discreet voice cues through a connected smartphone. Core processing is local.

Which obstacles can Ascenta recognise?

The documented version focuses on person detection. Doors, stairs, vehicles and traffic lights are development goals and are not currently promised as available functions.

Does Ascenta replace a white cane?

No. It is an assistive prototype, not a replacement for a white cane, guide dog, orientation and mobility training, or other established support.

How reliable is detection?

Person detection reached an 80.0% F1 score in the documented test setup. This does not represent every real-world situation. Lighting, movement, viewing direction and surroundings can change performance, and further user testing is planned.

Is Ascenta a medical device?

No. The current prototype is not certified as a medical device or assistive product and must not be understood as a safety guarantee.

Are camera or audio data sent to the cloud?

The described core functions run locally: images are processed on the glasses and speech recognition runs on the smartphone. The website uses no analytics or tracking services. See Technology for the system flow.

Do I need a smartphone?

Yes. In the current prototype, a connected smartphone performs local speech recognition, data fusion and voice output. The final product concept may change during development.

Can I buy Ascenta now?

No. Ascenta is in prototype development and validation. There is no current sale, confirmed launch date or binding reservation programme.

How much will Ascenta cost?

No price has been published. A reliable price would require further development, testing and manufacturing decisions; this website is not a binding offer.

Can I participate in testing or provide feedback?

Prospective users, affected people and organisations can contact office@ascenta.at. Contact does not guarantee a test place; scope, eligibility and timing are discussed individually.

Where can I find current information?

The roadmap explains current status and known limits. Read technology for the system design or about Ascenta for the team and contact options.