Nordic Startup News Early Stage Startup News From The Nordics
The intuitive nature of the technology is perhaps its most startling feature. Rather than overwhelming the user with complex audio cues or digital commands, the system communicates naturally through the sense of touch. Users can instantly feel the proximity, motion, speed, and size of surrounding objects. This immediate feedback loop is so effective that early testers have been able to naturally track and play catch with a moving ball—a feat previously thought impossible without sight.
Left: Mihkel Tedremaa
In a world overwhelmingly designed for the sighted, navigating everyday life can be an immense challenge for the visually impaired. Simple joys—like swinging a child at the park, exploring a new hiking trail, or playing a game of catch—are often replaced by a constant state of hyper-vigilance. While medical science continuously works toward restoring biological vision, Estonian deep-tech startup 7Sense has pioneered a different, revolutionary path. Instead of trying to fix the eyes, they are bypassing them entirely, teaching the human brain to “see” using the body’s largest organ: the skin.
The inception of 7Sense is a story of cross-border synergy and shared vision. The company was established when Finnish series innovator Johannes Väänänen crossed paths with Estonian marketing wizard Mihkel Tedremaa. Väänänen brought a wealth of inventive genius and deep technical foresight to the table, while Tedremaa provided the strategic narrative and market-driving acumen necessary to turn complex science into a viable global movement. Together, they founded 7Sense, uniting cutting-edge engineering with a profound social mission.
The Reality of Visual Impairment
Globally, there are over 300 million people living with severe visual impairment or complete blindness. For these individuals, the built environment is a maze of obstacles, as society is largely structured around visual cues. Simple mobility requires immense cognitive effort, and participating in spontaneous social events or enjoying public art installations remains frustratingly out of reach. The mission of 7Sense is to bridge this gap, restoring independence where it has been lost.
A New Form of Situational Awareness
To solve a problem of this scale, 7Sense recognized that changing the physical world to accommodate every individual is nearly impossible. The solution needs to be external and entirely portable. 7Sense’s telehaptic sight provides users with true situational awareness, allowing them to independently decode any environment they step into without requiring external modifications.
By transforming raw data into tangible touch points, 7Sense allows users to feel secure and confident whether they are navigating their own living rooms or walking through an unfamiliar city. This newfound confidence is the key to breaking the cycle of isolation. When a user can feel the world around them, the anxiety of the unknown melts away, replaced by curiosity and a willingness to explore.
Engineering Social Impact
The ultimate goal for 7Sense extends far beyond creating an impressive piece of hardware; it is about driving profound, lasting social impact. By empowering the visually impaired to navigate workplaces and public spaces safely, the company is laying the groundwork for higher employment rates and greater social integration. They are shifting the paradigm from passive care-taking to active empowerment, changing millions of lives in the process.
As 7Sense continues to refine its deep-tech platform, the implications for the future of accessibility are boundless. The startup stands as a shining example of the Baltic deep-tech ecosystem’s potential to solve massive, human-centric problems. Johannes Väänänen and Mihkel Tedremaa with their capable team have proved that with the right mix of innovation and empathy, technology can do more than just entertain—it can restore the human experience.
Ultimately, 7Sense is proving that sight is not entirely dependent on the eyes. Through the power of telehaptics, they are giving millions of people the freedom to step out into the world on their own terms. As the company grows, it brings us all closer to a more inclusive future, where the beauty of the world can be felt by everyone, regardless of how they see it.
Presently, the self price of this hardware is about 9000 euros per unit.
