The campaign has been completed successfully. You can now purchase or donate a Sesame Phone or Tablet at www.sesame-enable.com
We'd like to thank you and the entire Indiegogo community for your contribution in bringing this life-changing solution to existence!
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Happy New Year Everybody!
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We are extremely honored to be named winners in Verizon's Powerful Answers Award!!! (read about it here)
Since this means we've secured funds to continue development, and in the spirit of the holidays, we've decided to pay it forward and DONATE all funds raised on Indiegogo towards devices that will go to people in need.
So now (and retroactively) every $ you contribute goes directly towards people who will benefit tremendously from a touch-free phone. We invite you to nominate persons or organizations that should receive a Sesame Touch-Free Smartphone from the donation pool: www.sesame-enable.com/nominate
So go on! Give someone his first accessible smartphone! Or half a phone. Or even 5% of one - every donation counts!!
To
see our original video, watch here:
DESIGNED BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
Designed by a quadriplegic, the head-motion activated mobile device brings the cellphone revolution to a population that has until now been excluded - people with Spinal Chord Injuries, ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and other disabilities that impair the use of the hands and arms.
A Sesame Phone can do all the things a regular smartphone can do, entirely hands-free, providing independence through limitless connectivity.
As seen on:
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THE STORY OF SESAME
Sesame Enable was founded by Giora Livne, a quadriplegic for the past nine years, and Oded Ben Dov, an app developer and computer vision expert.
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Giora, an electrical power engineer with a maker sensibility, is always coming up with solutions to improve his life. One day, Giora spotted Oded on a television program, where Oded was showcasing a mobile video game he had created that was controlled via head gestures. A lightbulb went off.
Giora saw the potential beyond gaming. With a bit of chutzpah, he was able to track down Oded by calling the TV station, and challenged him to use his knowledge of gesture recognition to create a touch-free phone.
Together they founded Sesame and built the Sesame software technology.
Sesame is committed to setting a new standard in assistive technologies. Our team is driven by a deep belief in equality and universal accessibility, and in developing meaningful devices and ideas.
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Sesame participated in A3i - the world’s first accelerator for startups that benefit people with disabilities - made possible through the partnership of PresenTense, Beit Issie Shapiro and the Ruderman Family Foundation.
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Sesame later joined Raanana's hub for entrepreneurs - Hubanana - and is actively supported by it's community
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WHAT IS SESAME?
Sesame is the first completely touch-free smartphone technology that is controlled entirely through head movements and voice control, without any additional custom hardware requirements.
When you receive your Sesame-powered phone, you'll receive a Google Nexus 5 phone preloaded with our software layer and able to work out-of-the-box, touch-free.
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We leveraged advancements in computer vision, user experience, and voice recognition to build a completely accessible, hands-free mobile solution.
Currently, Sesame provides touch-free accessibility for Google’s existing Nexus 5 smartphone. We chose to support this device exclusively in the beginning due to its specific hardware specifications, and plan to support other Android devices in the future which meet Sesame’s unique requirements.
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THE GREATER POTENTIAL
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The Sesame Phone provides those with limited use of their hands independence and privacy in using a smartphone.
But moreover, with existing Smart Home and Internet-of-Things technology, the Sesame Phone provides access to tens of physical devices through the same Touch-Free interface.
Thermostats, lights, TV's, A/C, locks, shades and so much can now be controlled again by people with limited movement.
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OPEN, SESAME
Since Sesame runs on a standard Android OS, you get access to the millions of apps on Google Play - all completely touch-free! No special setup is required to operate a new app. This means you can tweet, post, share, send instant message, read, play, and be in on the conversation around the latest app.
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SO EASY, EVEN A CHILD CAN USE IT
Our goal from the beginning has been to design a phone that can work for the widest range possible of users, regardless of their physical abilities or age. Some of our most dedicated users are kids!
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You can customize your Sesame Phone so that even people who can only move their heads slightly can benefit from the phone.
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WHAT YOU GET
When you receive your Sesame-powered Android Nexus 5 smartphone, here’s what comes with it:
The Sesame takes great care in ensuring that your Sesame experience goes off without a hitch! All Sesame-powered Google Nexus 5 smartphones we ship will be preconfigured for simplicity.
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TECHNOLOGY BEHIND SESAME
• Google Nexus 5: The Sesame user interface is built into a modified Nexus 5. This model of Android device was selected because it meets the specific functional requirements of the Sesame user interface, however in the future we will continue to add support for additional devices.
• Computer Vision: Through advanced computer vision algorithms, the Sesame Phone tracks your head movements with extreme precision, utilizing only the existing, front-facing camera.
• Voice Commands: To enable a true touch-free experience, even when the phone is off, just say "Open Sesame" and it will turn on and start tracking head movements.
• Built on Android: We've built on the market-leader Android platform, and made it touch-free accessible system wide through integration with the operating system. You can fully navigate through the phone menu, open applications, write messages, play games, make calls and more!
• Works out of the box: When you get a Sesame Phone, you are getting a device that has already been pre-installed and specially customized to provide the best touch-free experience, right from the first launch.
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WHERE WE ARE TODAY
For the past two years we’ve been working non-stop to get the Sesame Phone ready for production. We've experimented with different hardware solutions, tested out a variety of algorithms, and tried out all versions with a broad range of users.
After testing many devices in earlier versions, we are now launching with the Google Nexus 5, because of its superior performance and appropriate size. We are now ready to get the phone out into the world.
The demand is real. With 10 beta testers, and many others already requesting the device, the need for Sesame is already clear.
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WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP
We are currently in the final stretch of bringing this life-changing product to market.
We have a final working prototype, but are still putting the finishing touches on its software development and design.
Your funds will help us finalize the product and get the word out to everyone who can benefit from the device.
Furthermore, your support will help us demonstrate to large mobile operators and hardware manufacturers that there is a strong demand for supporting people with disabilities.
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HOW YOU CAN HELP
1) Backing our Indiegogo campaign will help us launch the Sesame phone into the world to people who can benefit greatly from it. For every $5,000 we raise we'll be donating a phone to someone in need!And if you want to purchase a phone as a gift, we can happily arrange that for you.
3) Connect with us! Stay up-to-date by liking our Facebook page, following us on Twitter, and signing up to our email list.
4) Are you a journalist? Write an article about us! Contact our communications team here.
5) Are you a major company / philanthropist? Become a sponsor and show your support for making technology more accessible
Thanks for getting to the bottom of the page! We're sending you a virtual high five.
Don't forget to share our campaign! Thanks so much!
Questions and Answers
How do I order a Sesame smartphone?
We are currently taking pre-orders via Indiegogo so hop on over there and place your order today!
When can I expect to receive my Sesame smartphone?
We are putting the final touches on the phone and going through one more round of testing before we send out the phone. Our projected ship date is Feb 1, 2015 and we are confident we’ll be able to meet our goal.
Shipping Costs
Shipping is free to anywhere in the USA. If you would like us to ship to you internationally, please refer to our shipping guide.
Return Policy
We want you to be 100% happy with your Sesame Phone. If you discover you cannot use the phone due to your physical limitation, simply send it back and we will give you a full refund. Shipping on us!
(* We will not accept the phone if it is damaged or broken)
Will the Sesame smartphone work for me?
The Sesame phone works by tracking small head movements which are translated into a “cursor” that appears on the screen of the phone. Since your head movements are what controls the cursor, then some movement of the head is required. As a test, can you perform slight “yes” and “no” gestures with your head? If so, then you should have no problem being tracked and controlling the device. Our goal is to ensure the phone works for as broad a set of users as possible and as such we are continuously testing the device to meet that goal.
What will I be able to do on the phone?
Anything that can be done today using touch can be done on the Sesame smartphone without any touch required. Our users make phone calls, send texts, browse the internet, watch videos on Youtube, socialize on Facebook and even play Angry Birds and Candy Crash.
What about apps that I download?
When you use a Sesame Enable smartphone you have instant touch-free access to just about any app that you download from the Google Play store. No additional set-up required. The same technology that controls the cursor on the phone extends to any app that you download. Imagine that — a whole world of applications that can work for you! We’re pretty excited about the idea.
What if the Sesame smartphone doesn’t work for me?
One of our founding principles is to create a phone that works for people of all physical abilities. Unfortunately, our solution won’t work for every single person. So we offer a full, money-back guarantee if you are unhappy with your device. We will even cover the shipping costs to send the phone back to us.
(* We will not accept the phone if it is damaged or broken)
How can I turn on and off the device if it’s in sleep mode? Especially if I can’t use my hands at all?
Just say “Open Sesame” and the phone will turn on and start tracking immediately. If you say, “Close Sesame” you can similarly turn the phone off. If Open Sesame doesn’t work for you, the catchphrase can be customized to your liking.
Do I need to use a stand with my Sesame smartphone?
Depending on where you plan to use your Sesame smartphone, you may find a stand to be helpful. We don’t sell stands directly, but we’ve provided a list of different stands that work with our phone. This list isn’t all-inclusive, so if you already have a stand at home, there’s a good chance it will work with the Sesame as well.
Tutorial Videos
By the time we send out phones video tutorials on how to work the phone will be up and running
There are so many more uses for this amazing technology! Driving, cooking, playing an instrument… Why aren’t you getting it out to everyone???
We get asked this a lot. There are many amazing and innovative companies out there who are using gesture recognition technology in the fields of gaming, entertainment, and other common mass uses. We feel the focus on the disability market is both a mission and an expertise developed by daily visiting different people with disabilities. Nevertheless, as is with many accessibility solutions, once perfected where the need is high and real, it can disseminate to other more widespread uses. Just like a wheelchair ramp is also enabling for baby carriages, bicycles, shopping trolleys, etc.
