Latest news with #lowvision
The Verge
5 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
These smart glasses use AI to help low-vision users
Accessibility-focused tech provider Envision has partnered with eyewear company Solos to launch new smart glasses specifically designed for blind and low-vision users. Envision says the camera-equipped Ally Solos Glasses can read and translate text, describe surroundings, search the web, and recognize people, objects, and signs, feeding information to the user via open-ear speakers built into the ear stems. The Ally Solos Glasses are available to pre-order today for $399, which Envision says is a 'special launch pricing' that's discounted from $699. The frames come in two sizes — regular or large — and a choice of black, gray, and brown color options. Shipping for pre-orders is expected sometime in October 2025. They're built on the existing AirGo Vision glasses that Solos launched in December, which provide their own vision recognition features via OpenAI's GPT-4o AI model. Envision's version replaces GPT-4o with Envision's 'Ally' AI assistant, which is powered by a combination of foundation AI models, including Meta's Llama, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Perplexity, according to the Ally website. The AI features work by connecting to the Ally iOS or Android app via Bluetooth. The glasses themselves have a strong IP67 rating for protection from dust and water, and USB-C chargeable ear stems that provide 'up to 16 hours of active use' on a single charge, according to the pre-order listing. It takes around 90 minutes to fully charge the ear stems, with 15 minutes of fast-charging providing around three hours of battery life. Accessibility features are already an established benefit on other smart glasses. Envision has previously released assistive eyewear built on the now-defunct Google Glass hardware, for example, and AI vision interpretation features provided by the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have already been embraced by the low-vision community. It's unclear how the Ally Solos Glasses' capabilities will compare to more affordable rivals, given $699 is considerably pricier than the $299 AirGo Vision and Ray-Ban Meta. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Jess Weatherbed Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Wearable
Japan Times
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Japan sets goal of having doors on 4,000 train station platforms by fiscal 2030
The transport ministry plans to increase the number of train station platforms with platform doors nationwide to 4,000 by fiscal 2030, which runs through March 2031, setting a new target to make it safer for passengers, especially for those with low vision and older adults. As of the end of fiscal 2023, such doors had been installed at 2,647 platforms across the country. The ministry set the new target since it is on track to meet its initial goal of having doors installed on 3,000 platforms by the end of the current fiscal year. Platform doors are installed between the platform and train tracks, opening only when the train has arrived at the station, thereby preventing passengers from falling onto the tracks. The decision to raise the target reflects ongoing safety concerns, as accidents involving passengers falling from platforms or being struck by trains continue to occur. In fiscal 2023, there were 2,293 cases of people falling from station platforms, of which 58 cases involved passengers with low vision, according to government data. While the cost and logistics of installing platform doors have proven challenging, railway operators are adopting new solutions to lower expenses and increase flexibility. These include models with lighter barriers compared to traditional installations. Operators are also rolling out wide-door systems that can accommodate both regular and express trains with varying door positions. The ministry said it will support such innovations and provide financial assistance through subsidies to accelerate implementation. The new target was announced in a ministry panel report on making train stations barrier-free in March. The report also increased the target for making train cars barrier-free from the current 70% to 80% by fiscal 2030. Japan began working harder to make public transport and facilities barrier-free when the nation hosted the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2021.
