Keith Kirkland: Navigating the World Through Haptic Technology

Marcus interviews Keith Kirkland, co-founder of WearWorks, a wearable technology company creating products and language for all. 

Keith shares his background in engineering, and then fashion, before moving into design that can have a greater impact on the public. Keith talks about how his dreams of creating a wearable smart suit that could teach him Kung-Fu then morphed into the creation of the Wayband, a piece of wearable technology that uses haptic language to help people navigate and more fully enjoy the environment around them. 

Keith tells how the compassionate approach to design ultimately benefits a great number of users, not just those with visual impairments. Keith then shares some of the successes and failures that naturally occur when creating product design.    

Key topics:

• [2:14] Keith’s background in design
• [5:27] What is wearable technology?
• [7:36] Haptic feedback
• [8:16] Creating a company to change the landscape of navigation: WearWorks
• [10:42] Practical real-world application of this haptic navigation
• [15:25] How this technology allows us to be more present in the moment and within our journeys
• [16:55] One of the biggest successes of WearWorks and the Wayband so far
• [20:56] Creating a compassionate product that is universal and equitable to all
• [24:39] Keith shares with us a time that someone was present for him
• [30:41] What piece of art would Keith take with him on a desert island?
• [31:48] What fictional character would Keith be for a day?
• [32:41] If Keith could share one message with the world, what would it be?

Resources for you:

• Learn more about WearWorks: https://www.wear.works/
• PreOrder the Wayband: https://www.wear.works/preorder
• Read about WearWorks successful partnership with the Blind ultramarathon runner, Simon Wheatcroft: https://cnn.it/3h1T2ID
• Connect with Marcus on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcusEngelSpeaker/
• Subscribe to the podcast: https://bit.ly/CompassionAndCouragePodcast

Learn more about Keith Kirkland:

Keith Kirkland is a Fashion and Industrial Designer with a background in Mechanical Engineering. He has created different types of wearable devices, including a Kung-Fu downloading bodysuit. Keith is a natural speaker with a glow of positive energy.

Date: 02/22/2022

Name of show: Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare

Episode title and number: Episode 36 – Keith Kirkland: Navigating the World Through Haptic Technology