CES is the place for weird and wonderful tech announcements, and Panasonic has pulled out one in the latter category. Partnering with Barcelona-based start-up Biel, the two companies have announced a pair of ‘life-changing’ smart glasses for aiding in mobility for visually impaired individuals at CES 2023 (opens in new tab).
The joint venture utilizes Panasonic’s 5.2K HDR-capable VR goggles with Biel Glasses’ AI technology for users with low vision capabilities. With the aim of helping to reduce mobility issues caused by impaired vision, specifically peripheral vision loss, or to most of us this is known as tunnel vision, affecting suffers of conditions including glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and others.
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The new smart glasses allow users to receive feedback about obstacles and other hazards, using the latest in AI and robotics technologies developed by Biel Glasses, allowing visually impaired users to move around safely, independently, and with more confidence.
Biel Glasses is a start-up founded in Barcelona in 2017, by a doctor and engineer, and named for their son Biel, who was born with low vision. It has been working on AI and robotics solutions for people affected by vision problems, and this is the first time it has partnered with a major hardware company to bring its technology into the hands of users.
Biel Glasses’ cameras and sensors can detect hazards, such as obstacles, steps, and holes, all in real-time. The glasses then relay these messages back to the user on the inbuilt μOLED display panels using graphical indications that have been adapted to the individual user’s specific condition and needs for their remaining vision including zoom, adaptation to lighting, and contrast enhancement.
These smart glasses have a very specific purpose of empowering visually impaired users, but it is interesting to see Panasonic working on technology around smart wearables, AR, and VR. These pretty awesome steam-punk-looking glasses are hopefully not the last wearable creation we will see coming out of Panasonic’s R&D department, and we would be very happy to see Panasonic come out with more consumer wearables as VR really takes off!
Check out all the latest announcements from CES 2023 (opens in new tab) here.
For more on Panasonic, read our guides to the best Pansonic camera (opens in new tab), the best micro four-thirds lenses (opens in new tab), and the best L-Mount lenses (opens in new tab).