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Blind Man Walks Entirely Unassisted While Trying Innovative New “Glasses” For The First Time

Left image shows "blind glasses" during auditory testing. Right image shows a blind person catching a beach ball during haptic testing.

Using technology similar to that in self-driving cars, a Romanian company has developed “glasses” that allow the blind to “see.” They’re not exactly like any blind glasses we could imagine. The company, .Lumen (dot Lumen), says the glasses “pull your head” to guide a blind person, like a guide dog pulls its owner’s hand. In a video on TikTok. .Lumen demonstrates the glasses with a volunteer.

@dotlumen

Glasses for the Blind at CES 2024. Blind person testing the .lumen Glasses for the first time, with 0 training EUeic assistivetechnology innovation artificial intelligence AI deeptech dotlumen empoweringtheblind SpatialAI genAI #generativeAI #EmpowerBlindness VisionForAll EyesFreeMobility

♬ original sound – dotLumen – dotLumen

Leaving his guide dog behind and donning the glasses, a blind man walked around the CES 2024 technology convention without assistance. A company representative went with him, creating obstacles along the way. With no training in using the glasses, the man could avoid crashing into anything and safely return to his guide dog.

Left image shows a blind man walking away from his guide dog wearing .lumen glasses. Right image shows the same man returning to his dog after navigating CES 2024 without assistance while wearing the blind glasses.
Images from TikTok.

Walking is only the beginning of this journey. With this technology, the blind can “see.” With the company’s patented haptic interface, a blind person wearing the glasses can catch a beach ball thrown at them from all angles. They can walk on nature trails unassisted. The possibilities seem endless.

.Lumen glasses for the blind permit a blind person to catch a beach thrown from multiple angles (left image). A hiker navigates a trail without assistance wearing the .Lumen glasses (right image).
Images courtesy of .Lumen.

Testing continues as .Lumen works to streamline the glasses. The company has been winning awards around the world. One of the most prestigious technological awards is the Red Dot: Luminary. In 2021, .lumen Glasses for the Blind was honored to receive the Red Dot: Luminary award.

A Future Where “The Blind Can See” With Special Glasses

The .Lumen glasses for the blind are still in testing but are expected in the retail market later this year. Constant software updates will assist the blind in accomplishing even more. Some new developments include reading things such as food packaging. The glasses detect above-ground obstacles, meaning hiking is possible, even on a root-covered trail.

Left image shows a man wearing the blind glasses in a frontal shot. Left image shows a smiling woman taking a walk outside unassisted while wearing the glasses.
Images courtesy of .Lumen.

As this technology continues to improve, we may be seeing blind people able to function in jobs and other activities that have been out of reach in the past. You can follow the latest news about the company and this fantastic product on the .Lumen website. Please share this great news with your friends.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.

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