‘Check Mates’ glasses assist the visually impaired

A Camas man is hoping to make a difference in the lives of people who are visually impaired.

Milan Slamka has developed Echo-Sense Network Glasses, also known as “Check Mates.”

They can be worn by a sight-impaired person, and audio and video information is live streamed to a caregiver on a remote computer.

“The caregiver can see what the blind person would see and can give instructions and guidance to the wearer,” Slamka said.

The person who is wearing the glasses can use voice prompts to access phone, mapping and GPS services.

The cost, $2,995, includes a smart phone programmed specifically for Echo-Sense, a charger, glasses and two years of service on a monitoring site.

Other applications for the technology created by Slamka are currently being developed. They include applications that will assist security officers to relay on the scene information to a central control.

The streaming video, which is automatically saved and archived on a server, can be used for reviewing evidence. There are no SD cards that could be erased.

Slamka also foresees use by Homeland Security and TSA operations at airports.

“EMTs can stream video of emergency situations to hospitals or doctors, so they can get guidance on how best to care for their patients,” he said. “Firemen can be connected, providing better management and improved safety.”

Slamka said interest is also building in sport applications, such as training for golfers.

Slamka, a native of the Czech Republic, earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Calgary, in Calgary, Canada, in 1976.

He and his wife, Linda Severn, have lived in Camas for 10 years. Slamka is the chief technical officer of Echo-Sense, and Severn is the treasurer.

For more information, call 713-6125 or visit www.facebook.com/EchoSenseInc?ref=hl.