How a Red Bull Basement team’s new win can help those with impaired vision
Let’s take things in chronological order and start with Red Bull Basement. Why did you and Arjun decide to apply for the 2024 edition?
We wanted to look for avenues to propel Argus forward, and it seemed like it was going to be a really good opportunity to do that. Partly for the exposure, as well as because there were great storytellers and marketers involved who we could learn from. We also knew that Red Bull Basement had some incredible corporate partners in Microsoft and AMD, and we learned a lot, both from the technical and storytelling aspects.
You were named the national winners and went on to the World Final. How was that experience in Tokyo?
There were some incredible learnings. The workshops were so helpful. There was one where we had to build out a business canvas, and we ended up using that in later competitions as well. And we’ve been able to carry on the skills that we built there. I definitely became a better orator, better storyteller – better at thinking in terms of markets and people. It was very informative talking with people who know it best.
Argus wins the Red Bull Basement National Final 2024
© Adam Glanzman/Red Bull Content Pool
Not long after, you entered the Microsoft Imagine Cup. How did that come about?
Red Bull Basement was a big streamliner for us in that regard. Partly because we met a lot of people from Microsoft for Startups, and there was a lot of encouragement from that end. It was a good segue: “We met in Tokyo, and you should apply for the Imagine Cup.”
Besides the overall prize, what were some of the takeaways from participating in the Microsoft Imagine Cup?
The experience was phenomenal. We were getting technical advice as well as storytelling advice, and we built on the hardware throughout the competition. Our partners and mentors were very helpful with that. We had a couple of conversations with the AMD folks, and for instance, they connected us with some of their camera specialists, who had suggestions on methods for things we wanted to incorporate in Argus.
Daniel Kim and Arjun Oberoi pitch Argus at the Microsoft Imagine Cup final
© Photo courtesy of Microsoft
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What else have you been working on lately with Argus?
We’ve just been iterating on the hardware, making sure it’s more and more reliable, increasing its feature set with haptics and a bunch of other features that go beyond input/output speech and that help ensure it’s a more immersive and constant experience. A big feature we incorporated recently was sensors – one pointed directly forward for things like walls, and the other pointed 45 degrees down, for ledges and drops. So Argus is constantly checking the environment for obstacles.
Part of your prize for winning the Microsoft Imagine Cup was $100,000 USD. What will you do with it?
This opens up a lot of avenues. Our biggest challenge was that Argus was bootstrapped up until this point, so we had been able to create just five devices in total, somewhat limiting our ability to beta test. I think from here, we’re going to be able to get Argus produced on a larger scale. Our most concrete short-term goal is to have 500 beta users, which will help us collect a lot of information and see what ways we can incorporate new features that will make it more conducive to using it in day-to-day life. And then, once we have a final product that we feel would be a good iteration to move forward into the market for wider consumption, we’ll be exploring different distribution channels.
You’ve taken the time and energy to enter competitions despite the demands of being university students. For others who have innovative ideas but may be on the fence about pursuing opportunities because they’re so busy, what’s your advice?
I would tell them that they never know unless they try, which is a familiar adage, but when we think back about this whole process, all it took was an application to Red Bull Basement, and suddenly, all these other things happened. We didn’t realise that this would have accumulated to winning the $100,000, figuring out all these learnings, meeting all these people along the way. You never know what’s going to tip that snowball, and there are almost always ways that you can find the time, if the idea is something that really matters to you.
All it took was an application to Red Bull Basement, and suddenly, all these other things happened
Speaking of time, the Argus device incorporates AI features, but do you find that you’re using AI on the business end as well?
Yes, it definitely helps with our workflows. We used to spend hours doing busy work, and now we can delegate that away. It’s really nice, like having an intern.
Anything else you want to note?
These experiences and managing my time have been a good introspective lesson for me, where I was figuring out what really matters to me. And I think a big learning was that you really have to build with empathy at its core. Also, the founder’s journey has only made me more firmly believe that accessibility needs to be treated as a human right rather than as a feature. That’s something we wanted to convey, and I think it has resonated.