AI Enabled Glasses for Visually Impaired People

What it does

Over 200 million people globally affected by visual impairments, AI- Smart Glasses offer a transformative solution using AI, ML, & real-time audio feedback to help users read text, recognize faces, objects, traffic signals, and navigate life independently

Your inspiration

The inspiration behind my project came from a personal experience-my uncle lost his vision, and witnessing his daily struggles deeply moved me. It sparked a strong desire to bridge the gap between disability and independence using technology. Motivated by empathy and a passion for innovation, I developed AI-Enabled Smart Glasses to empower visually impaired individuals. These glasses use AI, machine learning, and real-time audio feedback to help users read, recognize faces and objects, interpret traffic signals, and perform daily tasks independently. My goal is to restore confidence, dignity, and autonomy to those who need it most.

How it works

VisionPro is a smart wearable system designed to help people with vision impairments better understand and interact with their surroundings. The glasses feature a built-in camera that captures real-time visuals. AI models then process this input to recognize faces, detect objects and obstacles, read multilingual text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and understand shapes through contour detection. The system converts this information into spoken feedback using speech synthesis, allowing users to hear what’s around them. Additional features include GPS navigation for safe travel, gesture recognition for hands-free control, and an SOS alert system. Technically, VisionPro uses Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), real-time image segmentation, and Natural Language Processing (NLP), all optimized for fast performance on wearable devices. Cloud syncing and personalized profiles enhance user experience.

Design process

The project was born from a deeply personal motivation, Muneer Khan’s uncle lost his vision, and witnessing his daily struggles inspired to use technology for empowerment and inclusion. This experience laid the foundation for developing a wearable solution that could restore independence to visually impaired individuals. The first prototype was a wristband equipped with object detection sensors and vibration feedback to alert users of nearby obstacles. While it offered basic functionality, it lacked versatility and contextual awareness. This led to the development of a more advanced, glasses-based system. Through iterative improvements, the design evolved to include on-device AI for faster processing, real-time speech feedback, multilingual OCR, and facial recognition. Additional features such as GPS navigation, gesture control, an SOS alert system, contour detection, cloud syncing, and personalized user profiles were added to enhance usability and safety. The project received the Engineering for Humanity Award from Columbia University in 2025, and Muneer Khan was honored with the Young Innovator of the Year Award 2025 at the University of Oxford. As of June 30th, trials have been conducted with 1392 individuals, whose feedback continues to guide ongoing improvements.

How it is different

Our AI-enabled glasses for visually impaired individuals are unique in combining real-time computer vision, natural language processing, and intuitive audio cues in a lightweight, hands-free device. Unlike smart canes that rely on physical maneuvering or tools like Envision that primarily focus on reading text, our glasses go further, they recognize individuals by name, describe surroundings with contextual awareness, and detect obstacles to support safer navigation. Designed with user feedback, they are built for comfort, affordability, and daily use. Local AI processing ensures fast performance and data privacy without constant cloud access. Additionally, the built-in SOS system provides real-time alerts to caretakers in emergency situations, enhancing user safety.

Future plans

VisionPro is entering its next phase with a focus on scaling and refinement. We're enhancing hardware for comfort, battery life, and durability, while improving AI with diverse data, continual learning, and user-specific model tuning for better recognition and multilingual OCR in complex settings. Expanded language support and a new mobile app will boost accessibility and caregiver integration. We're pursuing global partnerships and regulatory approvals, collaborating with healthcare providers and NGOs. Recently interviewed by I-Corp and Science Inc to support incubation and product development expansion

Awards

Recipient of the 2025 Engineering for Humanity Award at Columbia University’s Millard Chan ’99 Tech Challenge ($10K prize), and Young Innovator of the Year at Oxford University. Nominated for the National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2026 by the Government of India.