We’ve seen a number of ways modern technology can help the blind as well as those with limited vision get around a little easier. Just this week, we saw a robotic cane that can help its user make their way past obstacles, but a new pair of smart glasses could actually help that person with limited vision see obstacles for themselves, as well as other things around them.
A new pair of smart glasses is looking to help those with extremely limited vision by converting visual information that is targeted by the glasses into images they can actually see. The smart glasses were developed at the University of Oxford and use a combination of a camera and infrared projector to detect distance as well as information taken from an on-board gyroscope, compass and GPS system. All of these parts work together to project images onto a transparent OLED that overlays high contrast color on top of what they’re actually supposed to be seeing.
The chances of the smart glasses becoming a real product some day is actually pretty good considering the project recently won the Royal Society’s Brian Mercer Award for Innovation, which nets the team £50,000 in prize money. Hopefully that prize money can be put to good use that would hopefully help these glasses get into the hands, or eyes, of the people who need them the most.