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900 individuals experienced the Glasses for the Blind in Romania's largest Mobility Roadshow of its kind
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Cluj-Napoca, Romania, July 14, 2026 - Over the course of 2026 – Over, the .lumen team travelled more than 11,000 km across Romania, bringing the .lumen Glasses directly to blind communities in 41 cities. More than 900 blind participants, aged 7 to 92, experienced the technology, making it the largest assistive mobility roadshow of its kind ever organized in the country.
Rather than asking people to travel hundreds of kilometres to experience the technology, .lumen brought the demonstrations to them. Each stop offered free one-on-one testing sessions, giving many participants their first opportunity to try an AI-powered mobility device designed specifically for blind users.
Romania is home to approximately 85,000 blind people. For many, independent mobility remains one of the biggest daily challenges. Limited accessible infrastructure, only 21 active guide dogs nationwide, and restricted access to assistive technology mean that everyday journeys: to work, school, the grocery store or a medical appointment, often still depend on a family member or companion.
"Over those 55 days, we heard the same question hundreds of times: 'When will I be able to go somewhere on my own?' The answer is now, thanks to a technology made in Romania. Freedom means being able to get to work, school, the grocery store, or anywhere else you need to go; without depending on someone else." - Doru Tudor, .lumen Roadshow Coordinator
The roadshow welcomed schoolchildren, university students, teachers, professionals, retirees and people who haven't left their homes in weeks. Participants ranged in age from 7 to 92, showing that the need for greater mobility is not defined by age, but by the desire to remain active and independent.
Some of the strongest reactions came directly from participants. Following her demonstration in Cluj-Napoca, blind advocate Diana Danciu published an independent review of her experience, describing the difference between using a white cane and the .lumen Glasses as "huge." She said she felt confident crossing streets, avoiding obstacles and walking independently, while also highlighting one of the biggest challenges that remains: making assistive technology financially accessible through broader reimbursement programmes.
Leonid Puha from Suceava summed up his experience simply:
"I felt like myself again... For the first time in nine years, I walked on my own without depending on anyone."
Like a guide dog, the .lumen Glasses guide blind users along a safe walking path. Using artificial intelligence and intuitive haptic feedback, the device detects obstacles and guides the wearer in real time. It works entirely offline, processing all data locally without storing or transmitting images.
The roadshow comes as Romania continues to expand public support for assistive technologies through programmes such as TechAssist. While these initiatives represent an important step forward, demand still far exceeds the number of available vouchers.
Building on the experience of the Romanian roadshow, .lumen is now exploring similar public funding and reimbursement programmes across Europe, with the goal of making assistive mobility technology accessible to blind communities in more countries.
More than 900 demonstrations generated thousands of observations, questions and suggestions. Some will shape upcoming software updates, while others will influence future generations of the hardware. The roadshow has ended, but the work of improving – and expanding access to – the technology continues alongside the people who use it every day.
About .lumen
.lumen is a Romanian deep-tech company developing Pedestrian Autonomous Driving (PAD AI), bringing the principles of autonomous driving to pedestrian mobility. Through the .lumen Glasses for the Blind, the company helps blind people navigate independently by replicating the guiding behaviour of a guide dog using artificial intelligence and haptic feedback. The device is CE-certified as a medical device and has been tested by more than 1,000 blind participants across over 40 countries.