Glide Testimonials & User Stories
Over 3,500 Glider Experiences... and Counting!
Since 2024, Glidance has been hosting Demo Days around the world for our blind and low vision community to try the latest prototypes of Glide and share their feedback.
These experiences have been invaluable towards helping us learn, iterate, refine, and adapt Glide to truly serve the needs of our community.
Rather than hear it from us, we wanted to give our community a voice and the chance to share their experiences and impressions of Glide in their own words. Please keep in mind that Glide is still in development, and this feedback comes from thousands of hours spent testing early prototypes and iterations of Glide.
“I felt more confident using Glide than I have ever felt while using the cane. For some reason, I trusted the Glide more than I trust a sighted guide. I was in awe from the experience, so much so that I broke down in tears of joy afterwards. I cannot wait to have my own Glide!”
– Eunice Pfupajena, Demo Day London Participant
Paddington Station Demo Day, London
Recently, we put the latest Glide prototype to the test at London’s busy Paddington Station. Hear from Mustafa, Simon, and Nicky about their experiences giving Glide a test run – and the differences in some of their experiences from the last time we were in London.
Midwest US Demo Day Tour
In April of 2025, Glide hosted a series of Demo Days across the Midwest – including Chicago and Indianapolis. Here, you’ll hear from Raymond, Melinda, Barry, Trena, and Rochelle on their experiences trying Glide for the first time!
Gliders Across The US.
Glide has also made appearances at events and conferences across the US. Here are some Gliders sharing their experiences from the California NFB State Convention, the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, and a host of other places!
Glider Story:
Marva Petrequin
“I am so grateful and honored that I got to have Luke [from the Glidance team] and Glide visit our home. It has taken me a few days to actually “process” the experience to try and put into words.
My wife Deborah and I live on almost 2-1/2 acres, and we have two horses. I have not been out to visit horses or been able to go out and feed/groom/massage them since I lost my sight without Deborah guiding me. The driveway out is not direct and is a little rough. So, we put Glide through its paces and gave it a real world test. It did GREAT!
I first attended a Demo Day in early December 2024, and in just a few short months the progress that has been made on the development is phenomenal. I am convinced that as the software develops over the next months it will just be better and better! I can’t wait for my delivery date… and I don’t know if I should name mine Joy or Freedom, because I know it will give me both in SPADES!
Both Luke and Glide were so amazing giving me a real life experience right around my home. The experience was so much more than I could have ever expected and I am so so grateful for the opportunity!”
– Marva. Fresno, CA.
Glider Testimonials
“When I first tried Glide I wasn’t sure how useful the demo would be. After all, it’s a totally brand new type of device and I only had five minutes to start to get to know it.
Imagine my surprise then when after the first 15-20 seconds I felt that I already knew how to use it and felt more or less completely confident walking with it. In that demo I didn’t do anything that I couldn’t do with my cane, but everything that I did do just felt that little bit easier.
After those first 5 minutes I knew I’d made the right decision in becoming a Founding Glider and I’ve been eagerly waiting for mine to arrive ever since. Happy Gliding everyone. Lets go!”
– Ben Mustill-Rose, Manchester Demo Day
“When I first lost my site 18 years ago, I was handed a cane. I was very nervous and apprehensive for many months. The same when I moved to a Guide Dog.
Within a few seconds of following the Glide device, I felt comfortable and confident. It felt so smooth and I could walk naturally. I’m always tense when walking with my Guide Dog.
I will definitely be purchasing this product as I feel it will give me my life back and allow me to explore further.”
– Julie Graham, Dublin Demo Day
“First off, a bit of background: I was born blind and have been a cane user all my life. I have traveled to over 10 countries, have been an expat, and I’m a pretty advanced cane user and I’m pretty comfortable using it in places I’ve never been to before.
Despite all this, Glide’s current capability of holding lines and avoiding obstacles, if done without a glitch, would give me the possibility to go out more, explore more, walk more, and spend less mental energy walking and more mental energy connecting and engaging with the people and environment around me.”
– Parham Doustdar, London Demo Day
“It was an extremely emotional experience getting to use glide for the first time. It was a previous version, so many of the concerns I may have had you are already working on in your engineering and development. That being said, the previous model did an awesome job of navigating me around the space.
I can’t wait for the next updates and I can’t wait to receive mine when it’s released. I have not been this excited about a product since I’ve learned how to use Apple voiceover. Glide is awesome! Glide is going to help bring my dreams of being independent again a reality. Thank you!”
– Tim Wilkinson, Indianapolis Demo Day
“I am a Teacher of the Blind and O&M Specialist who is deaf-blind. Not only was I checking the tool out for myself, but I was looking at the possibilities for my students and others I know.
The device was easy to push ahead of me and the instructor provided clear direction for the tasks he wanted me to try. The haptic feedback was easy to interpret, and I was able to follow the device. I walked along a park path with turns, navigated through a crowd, and learned how to maneuver Glidance when it stops, indicating an obstacle a place where it could not move.
The words that come to mind for me are: life changing and exciting. Combined with mapping tools and imagination, Glidance can get a person moving!”
– Annee, Seattle Demo Day
“This device reminds me of my limited experience with guide dogs, and I imagine this experience being similar to having an electronic guide dog. I was able to experience the freedom of having a guide dog as a cane user, and this was quite liberating! You guys are definitely onto something special here, and I would encourage anyone to try the Glidance device.
I’ve worked a few times with a guide dog and found it very freeing, and what this device allows us to accomplish as cane users is strikingly similar.
I see this device becoming as common as a braille display or other assistive technology which people find fundamental to their success. Keep up the good work!”
– Sam Rau, Chicago Demo Day
“The path we walked at the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind would have challenged my cane skills with its twists, turns, trippers, bushes and overhanging tree limbs, not to mention other Gliders to circumvent.
However, the Glide made it easy. Luke’s education on some of the best approaches for a few confounding situations made complete sense to me.
I was so excited by the hope this wonderful mobility tool gives me that I was literally shaking when my too-brief demo time ended.
I haven’t been so excited since I was about to receive my first Guide Dog! The Glide almost felt alive as it swerved, paused, stopped, and followed my button pushes. I nearly reached down to praise the Glide and caress its ears!
In the last twelve years, some challenging health issues have interfered with my independent travel ability. After over fifty years of cane and Guide Dog experience, I have had to become dependent on sighted-guide mobility. I have watched many demo day recordings and, the pleasure others have expressed was nothing compared with my excitement over my own experience!
There is no doubt that the Glide will help restore my lost independence. The team of inventors, developers, and engineers impressed me as being deeply invested in the Glide’s success. After sharing exuberant hugs with this dynamic team, I returned home to wait for next spring. My husband and I left Seattle with overwhelming hope for me to reclaim my travel skills. I can’t wait to have my very own personal Glide in hand.”
– Dodie Orlando, Seattle Demo Day