Seeing with sound: AIIMS distributes AI-powered smart glasses to help visually impaired

In a major step toward disability inclusion, AIIMS on Monday distributed AI-enabled smart vision glasses to 53 blind and severely visually impaired individuals, helping them to interpret surroundings through sound.

The glasses convert visual information into spoken feedback, reading printed text aloud, identifying objects and faces, detecting obstacles, and aiding navigation. They use real-time object recognition and text-to-speech technology, enabling users to manage daily tasks independently, from reading medicine labels to identifying currency or doorways.

The beneficiaries included 28 children from a School for the Blind in Amar Colony and 25 adults from Dr RP Centre, AIIMS, including patients from low-vision and rehabilitation clinics. Each device, costing around Rs 35,000, was provided free under Project Drishti, a collaboration with Rotary, Vision Aid, and other partners.


Also Read: Niti Aayog member flags AI as key to healthcare overhaul in India

Dr. Praveen Vashist from the department of community ophthalmology at AIIMS said the initiative is being implemented in a structured research format. "These glasses are not just assistive devices; they are tools of independence. We will follow up with beneficiaries monthly for a year to assess improvements in quality of life. The findings will be documented and published," he told TOI.

With nearly 10 million people in India living with blindness or severe visual impairment a section of patients suffers from irreversible conditions such as advanced glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and optic nerve damage. For them, rehabilitation rather than surgery is key to independence.

Developed by SHG Technologies, the fifth-generation glasses are lighter, sensor-based, and far more advanced than the earlier 2018 models, which were heavier and button-operated. Doctors highlight that AI-based assistive technology complements clinical care, helping users adapt to life after vision loss.



With TOI inputs