Like a scene from the 1950s or a lost episode of “Mad Men,” it’s not unusual to see people at the Alaska Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired sporting a pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. While they may look stylish, these smart glasses have become much more than a fashion accessory for people who are blind or have low vision.
When Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses first hit store shelves in September 2021, they were marketed to consumers as a hands-free way to access music, take photos and videos, and interact with an AI-powered voice assistant. Content creators, photographers, and professionals quickly embraced the glasses for their built-in cameras and convenience. What Meta and Ray-Ban may not have anticipated, however, was how valuable the technology would become for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Although they were not the intended target market, blind and low-vision users quickly discovered practical applications for the glasses. By providing hands-free access to smartphone features and apps, the glasses can significantly increase independence. Users can launch assistive applications such as Be My Eyes with simple voice commands, eliminating the need to handle a smartphone…