Aira uses smart glasses to help blind people navigate the world

Aira is designed to make life a little easier for blind and visually impaired people. Using a pair of smart glasses or a phone camera, the system allows an Aira agent to see what the blind person sees in real-time, and then talk them through whatever situation they’re in. Aira promises to make everything from grocery shopping, calling an Uber or world travel more accessible for blind people across the globe.

Aira doesn’t replace existing assistance systems. Instead, it’s designed to enhance them. A blind person navigates the world using whatever tools they normally do, such as a cane or guide dog, and only calls the Aira agent when needed. When the agent picks up, he or she sees a live video feed and the location of the person calling on Google Maps, alongside general biographical information.

Apparently, the video feed is crisp enough that the Aira agent can read items off of a menu and catch other small details. Aira is available in full now, in three packages: $300 for 750 minutes, $1,000 for 3,000 minutes and $2,500 for 10,000 minutes. That’s three, six and 12 months, respectively.

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