HapWare's ALEYE Named One of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026
October 20, 2026
HapWare (Techstars 2025) earned a spot on TIME's Best Inventions of 2026 list in the Accessibility category for ALEYE, a haptic wristband that helps people who are blind, have low vision, or are neurodivergent read nonverbal cues.
A smile, a wave, a nod. So much of a conversation happens without words, and for people who can't see those signals, a big part of the exchange goes missing.
HapWare (Techstars 2025) built ALEYE to close that gap, and TIME just named it one of the Best Inventions of 2026 in the Accessibility category. HapWare went through Techstars San Diego Powered by SDSU in fall 2025, and we're proud to see the team recognized on one of the most respected innovation lists in the world.
How ALEYE works
ALEYE pairs with Meta smart glasses and uses AI to pick up on nonverbal cues like a smile or a wave. The wristband then translates those cues into vibrations in near real time, so the wearer can feel what's happening in the conversation as it unfolds.
ALEYE offers more than 25 haptic patterns today. According to CEO and Co-Founder Jack Walters, first-time wearers memorize about seven of them.
Built with the community it serves
HapWare's story starts with a mentorship. Co-Founder and CTO Dr. Bryan Duarte, one of approximately 20 blind people worldwide with a PhD in computer science, mentored Jack on a senior design project. That project became ALEYE.
The team's design philosophy is "nothing about us without us," and every product decision is shaped by the people ALEYE is meant to serve.
Congratulations to Jack, Bryan, and the entire HapWare team on this well-deserved recognition.
Read the full entry on TIME.
