Karolina Pakėnaitė

Karolina Pakėnaitė, a climber from the United Kingdom, is training to become the first DeafBlind person to summit Mount Everest. Also known as Caroline, Pakėnaitė is preparing for the historic attempt with the support of an innovative high-tech vest designed to help guides communicate with her during the climb through vibration signals. The wearable technology, known as the “Haptic Harness,” was co-created by Leon Lu, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology. The vest allows Everest guides to send remote vibration signals that can direct Pakėnaitė’s movement on the mountain. According to Lu, the team can create customized vibration codes to communicate instructions such as stopping, moving left or right, or adjusting pace during the expedition. While Pakėnaitė has limited vision, uses hearing aids, and can read lips, communication on Everest can become extremely difficult as climbers often wear heavy masks and protective gear in harsh weather conditions. The project brings together an international team that includes Lu, researchers from a haptic laboratory in Germany, a professor in Shanghai, and a fashion designer from Hamilton, according to the University of Toronto. If successful, Pakėnaitė would become the first DeafBlind person to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain.