I have been mulling over an idea for a while now, and am looking for some advice!

I would like a Digital Walking Cane, but have two major issues:

1) What technology to use.

I initially thought to use something along the lines of an MK808 Android Stick as the main core. The main problem this causes is that it needs to be powered. My initial solution was to hollow out the Cane (in the manner of a “smuggler’s cane“), and use D-Cells. While workable, I am worried about weakening the cane.

Also, the MK808 has no display. While not a major problem (I will be creating custom outputs), it might be useful to have a direct display.
Another option is to use a mini smartphone. If I can find one with the correct screen dimensions, it can be embedded into the cane, with display showing, and ports fitted for charging and other connections. This would mean being slightly bulkier.

2) What to do with it!

While the idea of a wi-fi connected, USB-capable Walking Cane sounds appealing, I can’t think of many actual uses! So far, I have:

• Wi-Fi detector – a set of runes along its length that light up in response to local wi-fi signal strength (as used by wi-fi t-shirts)
• Flash Storage – it should be easy enough to fit SD/USB/other storage memory. Prices are falling fast, and it provides quicker, more reliable access than cloud-based solutions.
• Range-Finder – laser measuring tapes are becoming more compact, and should interface with Android, with a bit of tinkering!

And that’s about it!

So, to pull together my creative and technical sides, I am asking for advice, both on what to make, and what to make it from! All advice gratefully received!