Smart glasses read buses, menus and banknotes aloud for blind Kiwis

Meta smart glasses launched in New Zealand on 24 September, and Blind Low Vision NZ says they give blind and low vision people visual information hands-free.

The organisation describes the Ray-Ban Meta glasses as one of the most transformative tools available to the blind and low vision community today. They combine open-ear audio, built-in cameras and AI visual recognition, including direct integration with services like Be My Eyes.

Previously, a blind person who wanted to know more about what they were looking at had to ask a sighted person, the organisation explains. Now people can get that information independently and hands-free, so they can still use their mobility tools or carry their belongings.

Ten everyday uses

Catching a bus at a busy stop in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch can be near impossible when you can’t read the route number. With the glasses, a simple voice command gives discreet audio confirmation of the bus number straight to your ears.

Users can also ask the glasses to describe their surroundings. That includes street signs and nearby shopfront names.

Reading printed text usually means holding a phone camera over paper while balancing a cane or guide dog harness. With the glasses, a user looks toward the text and asks Meta AI to read a document, menu or label aloud.

In the kitchen, the glasses can help tell a tin of crushed tomatoes from coconut cream. They can also read the tiny printed expiry date on a milk bottle.

Meta AI can look at paper currency and state what it is, or summarise total costs from receipts at checkout. New Zealand notes have tactile features, but worn notes or quick transactions can still pose challenges, the organisation notes.

Through Be My Eyes, users can connect with sighted volunteers or company customer service reps. The volunteer sees through the glasses’ camera in real time. That can help with tasks such as finding a dropped item on the carpet or setting an oven dial.

The glasses use directional, open-ear speakers, so audio plays toward the ears without blocking sounds such as traffic and footsteps. The organisation says this also lets wearers keep up a conversation with friends.

Meta glasses look like classic, everyday eyewear. They can also describe clothing colours and patterns, and check whether a shirt has a stain or crease.

At a scenic lookout at Mount Eden, the zoo or an art gallery, users can ask Meta AI to describe the scene. That includes the atmosphere, lighting and visual details.

Why awareness matters

Blind Low Vision NZ says public awareness is more important than ever now the glasses are officially available in New Zealand.

It asks people to share its post on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram. The aim is to help educate friends, whānau and communities across Aotearoa about how smart glasses are breaking down barriers for blind and low vision Kiwis.