In an innovative move to support the visually impaired, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), in collaboration with St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang, organized the 2025 White Cane Day last Saturday (October 4, 2025).
The event brought together 200 participants for a 2.5KM Blindfold Walk alongside members of the visually impaired community.
A major highlight of the program was the official launch of the “Tappy Project” — an Arduino-based Smart Cane developed by MBPP’s Corporate and Community Management Department. This innovative mobility aid was specially designed to enhance the safety and independence of the visually impaired.
The “Smart Cane” represents a leap forward in assistive technology, integrating electronic components such as ultrasonic sensors, vibration motors, buzzers, LED lights and a water humidity detector.
While the traditional white cane is a global symbol of blindness and is widely used for navigation, it does not offer the ability to detect hazards or navigate around obstacles.
Recognizing this limitation, MBPP’s team developed Tappy to bridge the gap. Utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the Arduino system, the Smart Cane is capable of detecting obstacles up to two meters away using ultrasonic sensors. When an object is detected, the buzzer alerts the user with a sound, enabling early hazard detection.
Designed to be compact, lightweight, and to work in tandem with the traditional white cane, Tappy empowers the visually impaired to move more safely, confidently, and independently, without relying on others.
Also present at the event was Darren Lee Seng Hwai, City Councilor, City Council Penang, Benji Ang Ming Quan, City Councilor, Muhamad Muashraf Mohamed, Director of Corporate and Community Management, Dr. Tiun Ling Ta, Penang Accessibility Action Group (PAAG), Wong Yoon Loon, Executive Director, National Council for the Blind Malaysia (NCBM), The Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Soe Chee Cheng, Chairman, Board of Director of St. Nicholas’ Home, Penang, Joshua Ooi Ee, Board of Director of St. Nicholas’ Home, Roy Chai Heng Hock, Board of Director of St. Nicholas’ Home, Ts. Kathireen Kalaivani Rajamanickam, Board of Director of St. Nicholas’ Home and MBPP among others.
Syabas to MBPP for launching the pioneering project to help the visually impaired !