LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Synapse ITS (Synapse), today announced its acquisition of Oko®, a breakthrough navigation app designed specifically for blind and visually impaired pedestrians. This acquisition reinforces Synapse’s dedication to building safer, smarter, and more inclusive streets—complementing Polara’s long-standing leadership in Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) and its cutting-edge mobile app, PedApp®.
Developed by a team of accessibility and mobility experts, Oko is an award-winning app that harnesses location data, audio cues, and accessible interface design to help guide users through the most dangerous aspects of crossing intersections.
Created in close collaboration with blind and visually impaired users, Oko utilizes the phone’s camera and artificial intelligence to help identify pedestrian signals. Pedestrians using the app can simply point their phone’s camera toward crossing signals to interpret information, providing invaluable feedback when ADA and PROWAG-compliant APS are not installed.
Some of Oko’s key features include:
- Providing feedback through beeps, spoken instructions, or vibrations for users with low vision.
- Helping pedestrians explore their environment, identify accessible spots, and find nearby amenities like restaurants and grocery stores.
- Artificial intelligence, trained on thousands of crossing images, to recognize and interpret pedestrian signals.
- Following the acquisition, Synapse is reinstating Oko as a free subscription to make its services accessible to as many pedestrians as possible.
About Synapse ITS
Uniting industry-leading brands Polara Enterprises, Carmanah Technologies, Eberle Design (EDI), Diablo Controls, Availed Technologies, GovComm, and OKO, Synapse ITS is a comprehensive transportation technology platform focused on increasing roadway safety, accessibility, and efficiency through innovative infrastructure. From intersections to highways, crosswalks to parking areas, Synapse ITS products leverage durable, dependable hardware alongside state-of-the-art software and data collection to provide agencies with intelligent solutions to complex transportation challenges. For more information, visit synapse-its.com.
Media Contact:
Natalie Yates
Head of Business Development and Investor Relations
[email protected]
SOURCE Vance Street Capital
