Australian student wins Dyson award for Clear Step
Fri, 2nd Oct 2026 (Today)
Tom Poletti has won the Australian national round of the James Dyson Award for Clear Step, a device designed to help visually impaired people detect above-ground hazards.
Poletti, 24, from Swinburne University of Technology, received the national prize for a mobility aid that builds on the traditional white cane rather than replacing it. The award includes GBP £5,000 in prize money.
Clear Step uses forward obstacle detection and tactile feedback to warn users about hazards conventional canes may miss, including objects at head height. The handle vibrates when it detects an obstacle, while a set of pins under the user's index finger signals the presence and proximity of objects ahead.
The project emerged through a design process involving multiple prototypes, including work on pin actuation, hinge mechanisms, ergonomics, motors and electronic housings. Poletti also consulted mentors and people who are blind while developing the device.
Current mobility tools for blind and low-vision users are effective at detecting ground-level obstacles but can leave users exposed to collisions with hazards above waist height. Clear Step aims to address that gap while allowing users to keep their established navigation techniques.
"It feels amazing to be recognised for Clear Step and the prize money could really help propel this project further. I have been developing the project in my spare time and aim to test a new prototype soon. The prize money would help considerably with development, especially if I look to invest in injection mould tooling. There is still progress to be made before this is a readily available product, but there is hope that Clear Step will become a new standard for blind mobility," said Tom Poletti, designer-engineer of Clear Step.
Judges' view
The judging panel said the entry stood out for combining engineering design with the lived experience of people with visual impairment.
"What stood out to me about Clear Step was how thoughtfully it brings together engineering ingenuity and the lived experience of people with visual impairment to address a very real, yet often overlooked, problem. Rather than asking users to adapt to a new technology, it builds on the familiar white cane to detect forward and head-height hazards, with the potential to significantly improve safety, confidence and independent mobility. The calibre of all entrants was exceptional, demonstrating how innovation can translate into meaningful real-world impact," said Dr Krithika Randhawa, associate professor of strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Sydney Business School and James Dyson Award Australia national judge.
Another judge highlighted how the device adds new technology to an established aid.
"There were so many outstanding innovations entered into the James Dyson Awards this year and the selection was tough. However, Clear Step stood out to me because it added innovation and technology to an item that had not only been around for a long time, but had such extreme potential impact for the visually impaired: the white cane. Using technology many of us take for granted every day in our cars, Clear Step gives the user awareness far beyond just the touch of the ground around them. Impressive," said Long.
Guy Turner, Dyson Robotics product lead and a national judge, linked the design to broader changes in public spaces and transport.
"Clear Step is both a novel and timely invention given the current transformation of pavements and roads we are seeing globally. The emergence of micro-mobility, autonomous vehicles and delivery devices, alongside the challenges of deteriorating public infrastructure, will result in further increased risk of injury to the blind. Forty-three million people are totally blind, and hundreds of millions experience moderate to severe impairment. Despite this, modern technologies have failed to meet their evolving needs as our urban spaces continue to change.
"Clear Step is simple to use, solves a clear need in an intuitive way, and applies an appropriate amount of technology to meet it. The design process, the maturity of the prototypes and target user trialling all build credibility in its feasibility for impact and market readiness," said Turner.
Other entrants
Two runners-up were also recognised in the Australian competition. Thomas Thwaites of Queensland University of Technology was selected for TEROS, a pneumatic handheld seed planter aimed at reforestation work.
TEROS uses a refillable 600g CO2 canister to drive six hollow stainless steel spikes into the ground and place seeds at planting depth in a single action. The device can carry up to six different seed species, a design intended to support polyculture planting in large-scale habitat restoration.
Zander Morris of Swinburne University of Technology was named runner-up for Coolearth, a cooling device for storing heat-sensitive biopharmaceuticals in hot climates without electricity. The design uses forced convection and evaporative cooling, with a recycled computer fan drawing ambient air through a rock salt-filled pan and internal ventilation tubes to remove heat from a central storage chamber.
The James Dyson Award is an international design competition for current and recent engineering and design students. It operates across 28 countries and regions and has awarded more than GBP £1.5 million to support more than 400 inventions.
Clear Step addresses a practical challenge in blind mobility by focusing on obstacles beyond the reach of the white cane, using vibration and physical finger cues to warn users of what lies ahead.