Empowering Those with Low Vision in a Whole New Way

Imagine being able to see the world in a way that was once impossible. For people with low vision, smart glasses are rapidly becoming a revolutionary tool that enhances their daily lives. These cutting-edge devices have the potential to bridge the gap between visual impairment and independence, opening up a world of possibilities and experiences that were previously out of reach.

Low vision is a condition characterized by significant visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or medical treatments. It can result from various eye conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. Low vision affects a person's ability to perform everyday tasks, including reading, recognizing faces, navigating, and enjoying the world.

The Challenge

NuEyes Technologies Inc. was founded by U.S. Navy veteran Mark Greget. Before founding NuEyes, Greget worked in the assistive technology space, distributing magnifying devices for people who were visually impaired. But these early devices were large and unwieldy, the size of CRT TVs or microfiche machines. The idea was you would place whatever you wanted to see better under a magnifier and then look at the large screen where it would be blown up. But you had to sit there in front of it, and you couldn’t take it around your house, much less take it with you out into the world.

“They were these big clunky machines that weren’t portable,” says Greget. “You couldn't watch TV with them. You couldn't look at a loved one's face. You really could only use them for basic tasks like reading the mail or looking at a picture .”

After visiting thousands of customers in their home Greget heard that they wanted something wearable. Something they could use to go out to eat and read the menu or sit on their couch and watch TV. So after years of research and testing prototypes on those same customers that complained about the “bulky” machines Greget founded NuEyes.

NuEyes set about creating innovative software solutions that could be paired with devices from hardware makers to empower those with low vision to see the things the rest of us take for granted. Early wearable devices gave people with low vision mobility, but the field of vision was very narrow. That’s when NuEyes turned to AR devices and HTC VIVE.

The Solution

NuEyes has partnered with HTC VIVE to create the e3+, a wearable solution for people with limited vision. Based on the HTC VIVE XR Elite , the e3+ renders an XR space of the real world, offering people with limited vision the capability to customize their viewing field based on what they’re looking at.

“Our partnership with HTC VIVE is around empowering low vision consumers in a whole new way. Utilizing the HTC VIVE XR Elite modular system, easy to use diopters, as well as its large field of view we are able to help those that are legally blind use the sight that they have to be able to see the world in an easier way,” says Greget.

The NuEyes advanced visual AI software running on the VIVE XR Elite uses its forward-facing cameras to create a virtualized image of the real world in front of the wearer. This allows the wearer to zoom in, apply contrast filters, and even utilize text-to-speech in a variety of different languages.

For the past year NuEyes tested a variety of other products and spoke with manufacturers on accessibility and its impact. “After meeting the HTC VIVE team and spending time getting to know them and testing out the HTC VIVE XR Elite it was clear that we had a partner we could trust, and one that would enable our software to change the lives of millions that need it.” says Greget.

The high definition passthrough camera on the XR Elite allows users to simply wear the device and look at objects in the world around them with improved clarity and magnification. A user that has low vision wearing the e3+ can simply pick up a book to read, watch their family members at sporting events, and even regain their independence again in the kitchen by being able to read receipts and easily find the right pot or pan.

“We're very excited about the XR Elite because with the forward-facing camera, the other cameras, the other sensors, and eye-tracking, we can do so much more,” says Greget.

The e3+ accesses the raw feed from the front-facing camera on the XR Elite and analyzes that data in software to allow the user to zoom in and enhance what they’re seeing. All of this happens in an instant, but it would not be possible without access to the raw feed.

“The ability to partner with HTC VIVE — they were much more open to saying, ‘Yeah, let's get you that camera feed. Let's get you that ability to help these individuals.’ But also just the quality of the hardware (from a camera perspective, a screen perspective, and feature functionality) far surpassed the rest.”

The e3+, however, does not capture any data. Everything it does happens live in software, without any need for connectivity. Nothing gets captured. Nothing goes to the cloud.

“At NuEyes we pride ourselves on not capturing any of the users data,” says Greget. “We concentrate on the importance of providing an easy to use device that empowers our consumers and their vision.”

Greget says HTC VIVE’s willingness to work with them to ensure their privacy concerns were taken into account was, alongside the sheer quality of the XR Elite, one of the major reasons NuEyes decided to partner with them.

“HTC's willingness to understand the use case and customer with us to really help others is what is so inspiring,” says Greget. “It's not just about selling hardware. It is about making a difference. We're a US-based veteran-owned company that really is looking for partners that are willing to work together. Versus folks that are just trying to sell headsets.”

Results

The feedback from NuEyes customers has been inspiring.

There’s the customer who wanted to be able to watch their favorite team on TV. They kept buying bigger and bigger TVs and having to sit right up next to them to see. With the e3+, they can now zoom in on the screen and sit comfortably.

There’s a customer who works in cell phone repair. Previously, they had to use large magnifiers and hold phones right up to their face. The e3+ has changed the way they work. The customer who likes to tinker with their soldering iron but hasn’t been able to since losing their sight can now get back to making things. The customer who used to work in fashion but wants to change jobs can now see well enough to get a better-paying position.

The list goes on.

“What we've solved for is the portability and the versatility of assistive technology for those with low vision,” says Greget. He points to people who, since losing their sight, have to travel accompanied by someone who can serve as their eyes and help them navigate the world. NuEyes is giving them freedom from relying on that kind of help.

“Whether that helps them get a better job, whether that helps them see their kids play soccer, or if it helps them watch their favorite team on TV, it doesn't matter,” says Greget. “It's giving them a more independent life.”

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