ADDRESSING DISPARITY
THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS A Triton shares his vision — literally .
BY HALLIE JACOBS
WE ALL KNOW Tritons see the world differently . Yet Suman Kanuganti , MBA ’ 15 , takes this to the next level , creating a world where even the visually impaired can “ see ”— though a little differently than you might think .
While a student at UC San Diego ’ s Rady School of Management , Kanuganti was motivated by the will and determination of a friend who had lost his vision . “ He was very tenacious and constantly on the move … I found that to be very inspiring ,” he says . “ I tried to think of ways I could help him navigate the world .”
And with an average 23.7 million adults ( aged 18 and older ) visually impaired in the U . S . alone , Kanuganti ’ s drive to help one person may end up changing the lives of an entire population .
With an engineering background and the support of Rady ’ s “ Lab to Market ” course and StartR business accelerator , Kanuganti launched Aira , a remote assistive technology platform that opens a world of opportunity and independence for visually impaired individuals .
The concept is simple — combining wearable smart device technology like Google Glass with a remote assistant who can see a user ’ s real-time situation and act as a virtual co-pilot navigating users through their everyday lives . For instance , people with visual impairment could have menus read to them , interpret maps and navigate public transportation with confidence , and even receive help with the slightest tasks , such as selecting products off a shelf .
With a concept so novel , the transition from startup to fully developed business was swift . Aira is off the ground and running , profoundly impacting the quality of life for the visually impaired . “ Selfconfidence , dignity , self-assurance , independence ...” Kanuganti says , “ we hear how we are changing people ’ s lives over and over again . Yet the most typical reaction is just , ‘ Wow .’”
Among those wowed by Aira early on was esteemed serial entrepreneur Larry Bock . Visually impaired himself , Bock immediately realized the transformative potential of Aira and was instrumental
“ We hear back how we are changing people ’ s lives over and over again . Yet the most typical reaction is just , ‘ Wow .’”
— SUMAN KANUGANTI , MBA ‘ 15
in its rise . Although Bock passed away in July 2016 at age 56 , Kanuganti continues his commitment to making a difference .
“ We are going to honor him by making Aira successful ,” says Kanuganti . “ He has been involved with lots of companies , but this was a cause that was near and dear to his heart .”
Kanuganti and his team of innovators won ’ t slow down anytime soon . In fact , the company is exploring new avenues for the technology , more ways to help diverse populations of varying abilities . “ I ’ m hoping that Aira can become a utility for not just blind and visually impaired individuals , but for everyone ,” says Kanuganti . “ I know Larry would have been proud .”
16 TRITON | SPRING 2017