There is now a new technology that helps the blind or visually impaired to see. The device has the ability to help it’s users regain their independence and assist them in their daily lives.
The OrCam MyEye enables it’s users to read books, newspapers, labels, signs, currency, and even computer/smartphone screens. MyEye is capable of facial recognition that identifies friends and family of the user. The device can also recognize colors allowing the user to differentiate red and green pedestrian signs when crossing the street or it can help them recognize clothing colors. MyEye attaches to a pair of glasses by a magnetic clip. To control the device when reading, users must use their hands to either wave at, swipe, or point at the text.
The OrCam MyEye technology gives these people their independence and it allows them to engage in the world around them. OrCam MyEye is now partnering up with the Florida Technology Center to promote these products and share its data with more people. https://electronics360.globalspec.com/article/12630/new-glasses-technology-allows-the-blind-to-see-their-surroundings
11 thoughts on “Technology Enabling The Blind To See”
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This is quite an interesting gadget that appears to serve an amazing purpose! It is interesting to see how the evolution of technology is able to assist the disabled.
The more that I see gadgets come out for the impaired, the more I am pleased to find us using technology to allow those who are inevitably disadvantaged to act as regular members of society. Years ago, we were nearly unable to work with the handicapped in a number of ways, and it is tools such as the one you have described that will allow millions of people to cope with their struggles.
Below I have attached an article on all of the amazing pieces of technology that have been invented to help those with inevitable struggles. Enjoy!
https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/assistive-apps-gadgets/
I think this invention is just amazing. It would contribute a lot to the society and help a large amount of people around the world. And I hope government or insurance companies can offer financial support to the deaf and the blind to purchase this device since this kind of glasses might cost a lot. The official price of OrCam MyEye is $3500.
My grandma has eye problem that she cannot see things clearly. I’m thinking about let my parents get her a pair of Orcam because she likes playing MaJiang a lot. So she can see cards more clearly and loss less. She must be very happy and enjoy everyday.
https://www.orcam.com/en/myeye2/
OrCam MyEye sounds like fascinating technology that could be so beneficial to so many people. This is an example of people creating technology that can really move society forward. It reminds me of the technology that people have been creating to help those who are deaf to hear.
Another aspect of this technology that stood out to me was the ability to translate any text that was in a foreign language. As someone who has struggled with learning a new language and understanding enough to successfully communicate with its native speaker, this is incredible. Clearly the OrCam is targeted for people who cannot see or have difficultly seeing, but with the addition of this translating capability, and whatever else the company can come up with, this technology can be tailored to a variety of different audiences as well.
However, the price tag is quite hefty, according to this article it costs $3,500, which is far more than most people that will actually benefit from this technology can afford. Fortunately, the article also says that the OrCam technology is constantly being worked on so maybe with time there will be a much more affordable version of OrCam.
https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/12/the-orcam-myeye-helps-visually-impaired-people-read-and-identify-things/
I truly think that this is what is so great about technological advancement. We see so many new developments and innovations at an increasingly fast pace nowadays and they keep getting better and better. However, a lot of the advancements we see and hear about are mostly superficial works, new computers, smartphones, 3d televisions, etc. Not to say that these innovations aren’t important, because they most definitely are, but it’s when you see something like this is developed, a device that was created for the sole purpose of helping other humans, to give them new opportunities and experiences that they have only dreamed about, that we see the incredibly positive impact innovation, creation and technology can have on society. An invention that helps a marginalized group of people to do something that without this piece of technology they could never do is an invention worth celebrating. Very rarely do we get to see a new device come onto the market that has the potential to solve or at the very least provide help to people who have been affected by a worldwide problem that researchers, doctors, and inventors have been trying to find a solution to for years.
After reading about this specific piece of technology, I decided to research some more devices that are used to help the blind to “see”. I came across one, specifically called “eSight”, and eSight is a pair of electronic glasses that help the legally blind to see. It works by using a high definition camera that captures images of what the user is looking at, it then enhances the video and displays it though eSights. The article I read stated the eSight could help with about a dozen different eye conditions
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/20/these-amazing-electronic-glasses-help-the-legally-blind-see.html
I really like the idea of the OrCam MyEye. I can’t imagine not being able to see anything, or if everything around me was unclear or blurry. My only concern is how expensive it is. Obviously, I understand that this technology is probably hard and expensive to develop, but in order for this kind of technology to be truly impactful to our progressive society, it first needs to be affordable. According to this article I found, one pair of these glasses is $4,500, which is not an amount an average American family can afford. However, I do really like the idea of these glasses and I think with improvement, it could be a really cool development.
https://www.thelowvisionstore.net/index.php?pageId=13&mode=mod_order&action=shop&todo=display_prod&prod_id=92
I really like the idea of the OrCam MyEye. I can’t imagine not being able to see anything, or if everything around me was unclear or blurry. My only concern is how expensive it is. Obviously, I understand that this technology is probably hard and expensive to develop, but in order for this kind of technology to be truly impactful to our progressive society, it first needs to be affordable. According to this article I found, one pair of these glasses is $4,500, which is not an amount an average American family can afford. However, I do really like the idea of these glasses and I think with improvement
https://www.thelowvisionstore.net/index.php?pageId=13&mode=mod_order&action=shop&todo=display_prod&prod_id=92
I think it’s so amazing that developers are finding new ways to help the blind see. I assume it is such a life changing moment for people and their loved ones. It’s incredible that we have access to technology that can let people experience life to its fullest potential. There are several new gadgets that are being released to help people see.
Some being Assisted Vision Smart Glasses, Al Glasses, Braille E-book Reader, Finger Reader, and ARIANNA App. All of these devices are specifically designed to help people see through embedded sensors. They help detect light and dark objects, identify colors and read signs. The Braille E-book is a creative yet helpful way for the blind to use their fingers to read books, newspapers, magazines and so much more.
I hope developers continue to work on devices and gadgets that can help blind people in the near future.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/blind-technologies/
This article highlights another technology that helps blind people see clearly. A visor like headset that uses high-speed and high-definitions cameras is called the ESight 3. This contraptions sits on-top of the wearer’s glasses connected by a metal, magnetic strip. It allows for the wearer to see in full color, with no lag time and the ability to zoom in and out of images/views. Photos and videos can also be captured with this device. The color, contrast, brightness, focus and magnification can all be controlled by the wearer of the device.
The only downfall of this device is that most insurance companies won’t cover the large cost of $9,995. But the company does try its best to get creative on how to help patients who are in need of the technology through fundraisers and grants.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2017/02/15/high-tech-glasses-helping-blind-people-see/97960470/
I think the OrCam MyEye is a great piece of technology that helps out a group of people that might sometimes feel forgotten in everyday life. I really appreciate companies who go out of their way to help individuals with particular needs in order for them to enjoy the experience to the greatest possible level. This also increases the safety of the individuals using the OrCam MyEye because it allows them to see colors and traffic signals.
Another similar item that helps the ‘blind’ is the EnChroma Glasses which help people who are colorblind, see color. The website talks about the glasses and discusses how people who are colorblind (mainly men) see the world in a different way and the glasses give the colors a ‘pop’ and allow them to see colors in a greater and bolder fashion. These lenses can help improve the lives of people, especially people who are red-green color blind because it can help out with signs such as traffic lights. This is similar to the fashion of the OrCam MyEye except it with is people who are actually blind and not just color blind. It is cool to know that we are able to develop and use such cool technology to help members of society which I did not know we could help in this sort of way.
https://enchroma.com/pages/technology
I worked at a movie theater since I was in high school. We got a lot of people who were either blind or deaf coming to see a movie. My theater had something very similar to these glasses to help them watch the movie. I actually was trained to set these up depending on what the customer wanted. We mostly got people who were hearing impaired seeking for a device to help them understand the movie. We had three options for them to choose from. The first one was a hearing aid that they could put directly in there ear for the movie to be louder. The second, most common one, was a pair of gasses that projected the closed caption directly on their glasses and did not distract anyone else. The third was a variation of the glasses, which was just a device that sat in the cup holder which had a screen that displayed the closed caption. Seeing these come into people’s everyday life is awesome. The only problem I see with them is that they are really expensive. If I recall correctly it was about $2,000 for just one pair of these glasses. Not many people can afford that. If research is able to reduce the cost of them I can see these being incorporated into everyday life.
https://www.syracuse.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/06/closed_caption_glasses_movies_regal_theaters_deaf.html
This was a great read! I think things like the OrCam MyEye are so amazing! Could you imagine being blind for so long and then suddenly being able to see? I often think about how amazing it would be to invent something like this that could change the lives of so many in such a great way!
I personally enjoyed exploring this website: https://www.orcam.com/en/myeye/ because it has many videos and interactive modules that show you exactly what the product does.
Another great part of the website is the User Stories. https://www.orcam.com/en/blog/category/testimonials/
I enjoyed reading some success stories as it shows how the product has really changed so many lives. Overall sounds like a great product for such an important cause.