HapWare Earns TIME Best Invention and Closes Oversubscribed $1.5 Million Pre-Seed Round Ahead of the Launch of ALEYE, a Wristband That Turns Facial Expressions Into Touch

DENVER, Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- HapWare today announced that ALEYE has been named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026. Its haptic wristband gives people who are blind, have low vision, or are DeafBlind instant access to facial expressions, gestures, and body language through touch on a wristworn wearable. The recognition comes as HapWare closes an oversubscribed $1.5 million pre-seed round and prepares to bring ALEYE to people across the world.

ALEYE connects to Meta smart glasses or smartphone cameras to detect facial expressions, gestures and body language, translating these nonverbal cues into distinct vibration patterns on the wrist. A smile feels like a U-shape traced across the wrist; a wave creates a side-to-side vibration. By making visual cues accessible through touch, ALEYE helps users access information that adds context and connection to everyday conversations. These moments can profoundly change a conversation. "My God, you folks have done something special here. You almost brought tears to my eyes. I forgot what it was like to read people's expressions and body language but now I actually feel back in the conversation," said Michael, an ALEYE beta tester.

The story of ALEYE starts with lived experience, HapWare CTO & co-founder Dr. Bryan Duarte, who became blind at 18 and proceeded to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science—one of only 20 people in the world to do so. "The most important thing we can do as humans in our lives is interact with other humans," Dr. Duarte says. "It is HapWare's mission to give our users the information they need to be fully included in every social interaction they have in their educational, professional, and personal lives."

TIME selected 300 inventions for its 2026 list and recognized ALEYE in the Accessibility category. Nonverbal communication can account for over 50% of communication, and that layer has been out of reach for millions of blind and low-vision people at work, at school and at home. HapWare is launching ALEYE across the US including to organizations like Braille Institute of America, Society for the Blind, and a growing network of assistive technology distributors.

"The majority of communication is visual," said Jack Walters, CEO and cofounder of HapWare. "Our customers tell us ALEYE helps them navigate conversations at work, know when someone is waving, recognize when a loved one is smiling, and feel more independent. Those moments matter."

With a team of engineers and experts in responsible technology development, HapWare is working to make communication universally accessible. Beginning with the blind, low-vision and DeafBlind community, the company sees future opportunities to support autistic and other neurodivergent people in interpreting social cues, help sales professionals understand nonverbal responses, and enable developers to build new applications through a haptic software development kit for its wearable hardware. Privacy, user choice and collaboration with the communities it serves will guide this work.

HapWare's $1.5 million pre-seed round was oversubscribed and led by Adaptation Ventures, with participation from Sidecut Ventures, Mines Venture Fund, Avesta Fund, The Pitch Fund and others. "We were proud to back HapWare early because we saw an incredible team building from lived experience. What they've built for the daily needs of people who are blind can also serve people who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or neurodivergent. Like many startups in this space, it has uses well beyond disability—in this case, communication and robotics. Recognition from TIME and strong investor interest are well-deserved." said Rich Palmer, Managing Partner at Adaptation Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in next-generation companies building disability, neurodivergence and health technology to maximize human independence and potential.

Reserve your ALEYE today with a fully refundable $59 deposit and save 20% off the retail price. Your deposit goes toward the $359 preorder price and secures your place among the first to receive ALEYE when it officially launches in 2027. Preorder at hapware.com/preorder.

About HapWare
HapWare is a Denver-based wearable technology company building haptic technology for people with disabilities.

Media contact
HapWare Media Relations – [email protected] - (720) 254-1292

SOURCE HapWare