Blackpool blind teenager creates app to help other people with sight loss

An 18-year-old who is registered blind has turned his own experiences of living with sight loss into an app designed to help other blind and visually impaired people navigate the world more safely and independently.

Riley Burrell, from Blackpool, has developed Echopath, an accessibility-focused app which brings together navigation and AI features to help people with sight loss better understand and navigate their surroundings.

Riley's own experiences of living with sight loss were the inspiration behind Echopath.

Riley came up with the idea around a year ago after experiencing first-hand how difficult it could be to navigate unfamiliar environments.

He said: “I’ve asked for help from people around me and they haven’t always been able to help me, so I wanted to make sure that people with visual impairments didn’t have to rely on strangers.”

His mother Claire remembers how difficult it could be for Riley when he was younger.

“Riley never wanted to go out when he was younger. He would panic if I wasn’t close by because of his visual impairment. He’d often walk into things and hurt himself,” she said.

The app provides spoken, turn-by-turn navigation, helping users understand where they are and what is around them. It can identify objects from photographs, recognise buildings, answer spoken questions and provide information about where a user needs to go.

It also includes a built-in timer which can alert an emergency contact if a user does not reach their destination within a set period of time.

Designed with accessibility at its core, Echopath can be used with VoiceOver and screen readers and offers customisable speaking speeds, themes, large text and icons.

“There are quite a few apps out there that cover different areas, but I hope that Echopath will bring all of these functions together into one, easy-to-use app.

“As a teenager myself, I know how costly multiple subscriptions and apps can become, so I wanted to create a one-stop shop for those living with sight loss.”

Riley has taught himself coding and has built much of the app himself while studying a technology course.

He is now in the testing phase and is looking for blind and visually impaired people to use Echopath and provide feedback on how it could be improved, ahead of its planned official launch in 2027.

For Riley, the project is about more than developing new technology. It is about helping people with sight loss feel more confident and independent.

Riley said: “I’ve been embarrassed and self-conscious when out in public before, so having an app that can help me get around, be accessible and be able to live my life would have made a huge difference, especially for younger people or visually impaired teenagers who just want to be as independent as they can.

“I hope to eventually roll it out to as many visually impaired people as possible to ensure it helps them in their everyday lives.”

Ruth Thomas, Riley’s solicitor at Fletchers Solicitors, said: “It is incredibly inspiring to see Riley take the challenges he has faced throughout his childhood and turn them into a force for good.

“Rather than allowing the difficulties he has experienced because of his sight impairment to hold him back, he has taught himself to code and is developing technology that he hopes will make a real difference to other people living with visual impairment.

“Riley’s determination to help others and make everyday life more accessible is remarkable for someone so young.''

Riley is currently looking for blind and visually impaired people to test Echopath and provide feedback ahead of its planned 2027 launch.

More information about Echopath can be found at EchoPath | Riley Burrell Development.