The launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI not only provided new tools for everyday people to gather information or enhance their writing. The technology is also making its way into other products. Envision – a company that produces smart glasses – harnessed the power of GPT-4 to create Ask Envision, a feature that can assist the blind and low-vision community.
Artificial intelligence powers ChatGPT, allowing it to respond conversationally when asked questions or given prompts. Through the incorporation of the technology into Envision smart glasses, the feature functions as sight assistance on a new scale.
How Smart Glasses for the Blind Work
While various smart glasses brands may operate differently, most uses specific technologies to provide sign assistance to the blind. Most involve the incorporation of cameras, allowing the glasses to scan documents, read text on signs, or capture objects. Then, once the image content is identified, the smart glasses produce audio that tells the wearer about the document, sign, or item.
Smart glasses, on their own, provide value to blind and low-vision individuals. It can make navigating the world simpler by reading restaurant menus, letting them know which cross streets they’re at, and providing other information that sighted individuals may take for granted.
However, while smart glasses are fantastic technologies in their own right, their capabilities beyond offering relatively straightforward information about the world was often limited. With the addition of ChatGPT technology, that changes.
How ChatGPT Enhances Smart Glasses for the Blind
Envision harnessed the power of GPT-4 to add new features to smart glasses, improving the experience for low-vision or blind people. Instead of simply describing what the cameras capture, ChatGPT technology allows the wearer to gather new details.
For example, after reviewing a menu, the smart glasses can answer questions about what’s available. It could let the wearer know which sides can go with an entrée, whether there are vegan options, and more, all based on questions the wearer asks. This is far more efficient than reading out every piece of text on a menu, allowing blind or low-vision individuals to streamline their experience.
The interface is also incredibly straightforward. Envision wearers press a button, wait for a tone, and then they can ask a question about the recently scanned text. The underlying technology then processes the query and responds in real time. That makes the approach highly conversational, causing it to feel both convenient and intuitive.
With Ask Envision, wearers can also get a new degree of independence. It can make exploring the world around them without a sighted person alongside them more feasible or practical, allowing blind or low-vision individuals to accomplish more on their own.
In time, the technology will also evolve. Incorporating advanced translation features is a logical extension, which could make world travel more viable for those with limited sight or blindness. Additionally, the AI could be trained to recognize facial expressions, seek out navigational markers on a path (such as landmarks), or steer the wearer toward a specific object that it’s identified in the environment.
Envision also touts work-related benefits. For example, the wearer could have the smart glasses scan a document. Then, they could use the Ask Envision feature to give them a specific piece of information from within the entire text. While that could come with some drawbacks, as allowing Envision to scan proprietary or sensitive information does introduce risk, for low-risk activities, it could open career doors that may otherwise be closed.
Do You Need Reliable Translators or Interpreters?
Technologies like ChatGPT and Ask Envision are making navigating the world and communicating simpler for many. However, they can’t make up for the capabilities of skilled translators or interpreters if you need to communicate with a diverse population.
Trained translators are able to offer a higher degree of accuracy, leading to better overall results. The Acutrans team can provide certified document translations within 24 hours. Along with general translation, legal and medical specialty services are available. Additionally, post-machine translation and localization services are offered.
If you need a professional interpreter, Acutrans provides access to skilled interpreters through its on-site, over-the-phone, and video remote interpretation services. There are also specialized programs for the medical and legal sectors.
If you need a reliable and capable translator or interpreter, the Acutrans team can provide a fast, dependable solution. Contact us for a free quote today.