Living with Sight Loss Archives - TIM DIXON

AI Accessibility Barriers: When Tools That Help Get Blocked

Tim Dixon — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:29:58 +0000

There is a quiet revolution happening in accessibility, and most people haven’t noticed it yet.

For those of us who are blind, visually impaired, or living with other disabilities, artificial intelligence has started doing something that decades of legislation and good intentions only partially managed: it has begun to reduce the relentless, grinding effort that everyday digital tasks demand. Not perfectly, not completely, but meaningfully.

Then, just as we start to settle into that relief, the door gets closed again.

A Thousand Small Frictions

If you are fully sighted and move through the digital world without much friction, it can be hard to appreciate what it actually costs a disabled person to complete tasks that you do without thinking. Every poorly labelled button, every inaccessible form, every image without alt text, every website that doesn’t work well with a screen reader — these aren’t minor annoyances. They are a tax. A tax paid in time, in energy, in frustration, levied dozens or hundreds of times a day.

AI has started to quietly reduce that tax. Not by fixing the broken websites (those remain broken), but by giving me a layer on top of them that helps me navigate, compose, summarise, and act with far less effort.

What I Started Using Claude For

I write and publish posts regularly. I’ve been using AI to help me draft content and review it before it goes out. That part works well. But the final steps — entering the post into the publishing platform, selecting the right image, applying the correct tags — those remained my task. Manual steps, done with a screen reader, inside a platform that isn’t always as accessible as it could be.

A few weeks ago, I came across Claude Cowork, a desktop tool that lets Claude work more directly alongside you, using browser tools to interact with web apps on your behalf. I’ll be honest; I wasn’t expecting much. Another subscription, another product that might not quite fit. But I was curious enough to try.

The first time, I walked Claude through the process step by step. It watched, learned, and did exactly what I needed. The friction I had been absorbing for years, all the clicks, the tab-navigation, the second-guessing of unlabelled fields, just wasn’t there anymore. We turned the workflow into a repeatable skill, and for several publishing runs it worked smoothly. A genuine sense of relief is probably the best way I can describe it.

Why AI Accessibility Barriers Keep Happening

I came to publish another post, went through the same process, and hit a wall. The publishing platform had updated its settings to block the kind of browser interaction that Claude uses. The automation stopped working.

I understand, intellectually, why companies do this. Blocking automated browser access is a reasonable defence against bots, scrapers, and bad actors. These are legitimate concerns, and the people making those decisions are not setting out to cause harm.

But understanding the reasoning doesn’t make the impact any less real.

For me, in that moment, it wasn’t a technical inconvenience. It was a step backwards. The effort I had stopped expending had come back, without warning, because of a decision made somewhere in the platform’s infrastructure with no thought — I suspect — for users like me. That feeling, familiar to most disabled people, landed with its usual weight: you don’t quite matter enough for this to have been considered.

Finding a Way Through AI Accessibility Barriers

I didn’t give up. After a conversation with Claude, I found a path forward using Microsoft Playwright, a developer tool that allows browser automation in a different way. It requires a bit more setup, but it gets me back to something close to where I was.

It shouldn’t require that level of technical problem-solving for an accessibility workaround. But here we are.

I’ve also reached out to the platform directly to explain the situation. My experience with them has been constructive in the past — they’ve listened when I’ve raised barriers before — and I’m hopeful this will be no different. I’m not writing this to criticise them specifically; they’re not named here because this isn’t about one company. It’s about a pattern.

How to Reduce AI Accessibility Barriers

When companies make decisions about AI access, bot prevention, and automation, accessibility is rarely part of the conversation. These policies are written to protect the product and the platform. That is understandable. But the unintended consequence is that disabled users, who are often the people most reliant on assistive automation, bear the cost.

This is the same pattern we have seen with captchas that screen readers can’t navigate, with two-factor authentication flows that assume everyone can read a screen, with apps that disable copy-paste in ways that break assistive technology. Each individual decision might seem defensible. Together, they add up to a world that keeps telling disabled people: this wasn’t built with you in mind.

AI automation tools are, for many of us, assistive technology. Blocking them needs to be treated with the same care and consideration as blocking any other accessibility accommodation.

Honest About My Own Tools

There is something I need to say while I am on the subject. Claude — the very tool I have been using throughout this process — is not fully accessible itself. I am only able to use it at all because I have some residual vision. Without that, the current interface would present real barriers of its own.

I think it is important to say that plainly. The same case I am making here, about companies needing to consider disabled users before they make decisions that affect access, applies to Anthropic too. More work is needed to ensure Claude is genuinely accessible to everyone, not just those of us who happen to have some sight left or who are technically minded enough to find workarounds. That work matters, and it needs to happen.

This is not a reason to dismiss the tool. It is a reason to keep pushing.

What I’d Ask For

I’m not asking companies to abandon security. I’m asking them to include disabled users in the conversation before they make changes that affect accessibility.

A few practical things that would help: consider accessibility impact assessments before rolling out bot-blocking changes. Talk to disabled users — not after, before. Create exception pathways or alternative routes for users who rely on assistive automation. And when someone reaches out to tell you that a change has created a barrier, listen.

The technology exists to remove AI accessibility barriers that disabled people have been navigating for years. That’s worth protecting.

Tell Me What You Think

Have you hit a similar wall — an AI tool or automation that was helping you, suddenly blocked? I’d really like to hear your experience. And if you work at a company making these kinds of decisions, I’d especially love to talk. Drop a comment below or get in touch directly.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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Hands-Free Vision: Why New Apps on Meta Ray-Bans Change Everything

Tim Dixon — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:56:49 +0000

I’ve been using Meta Ray-Ban apps as part of my daily routine for a while now, and until recently they’ve felt like a glimpse of what could be possible rather than something fully realised. They’ve been useful, but often in short bursts rather than something I rely on consistently throughout the day.

That’s starting to change, and it’s happening quite quickly.

The arrival of proper integrations is shifting Meta Ray-Ban apps from an interesting experiment into something far more practical. For me, this is the point where they begin to feel less like a gadget and more like a tool I can build into everyday routines without thinking about it too much.

Be My Eyes and Meta Ray-Ban Apps

One of the biggest steps forward has been how Be My Eyes works with Meta Ray-Ban apps. Being able to call a volunteer hands-free, directly from the glasses, changes the experience in a very real way. There’s no need to reach for a phone, unlock it, open an app, and try to line up a camera.

You just ask, and the call happens.

That reduction in friction makes a noticeable difference when you’re out and about. It turns something that used to take effort into something you can do almost instinctively. Over time, that’s what makes the feature stick.

What’s even more useful is the ability to contact trusted people. Instead of always relying on the wider volunteer network, I can call a family member when I need help. That might be checking a label in a shop or getting a second opinion on something more personal.

It feels closer to how you’d ask for help in everyday life, rather than feeling like you’re using a specialist tool. That distinction matters more than it sounds, because the more natural something feels, the more likely it is to become part of your routine.

Aira and Oorion: Expanding Meta Ray-Ban Apps

What’s coming next is just as important as what’s already here. Aira and Oorion are both expected to integrate with Meta Ray-Ban apps, and together they fill in some obvious gaps.

Aira brings professional, on-demand assistance. It’s a different kind of support compared to Be My Eyes, and having that available hands-free removes a lot of the barriers to using it quickly. You don’t need to think about positioning a phone or holding anything up. You just connect and carry on.

That immediacy makes it far easier to use in real-world situations where timing matters.

Oorion focuses more on object recognition and text detection. It helps you find things and understand your surroundings, which is already useful on a phone. Bringing that into Meta Ray-Ban apps makes it feel more continuous. Instead of stopping to scan something, you can keep moving and get the information as you need it.

That shift from stopping to flowing is subtle, but important.

The Apps I Want Next

I’ve recently been trying out an app called Curb to Car, and it’s one of those ideas that immediately makes sense. If you’ve ever ordered an Uber and then stood there trying to work out which car is yours, you’ll know how awkward that moment can be.

Curb to Car identifies the vehicle and guides you towards it, removing that uncertainty.

Right now, that’s still a phone-based experience, but it highlights exactly where Meta Ray-Ban apps could go next. Being able to ask your glasses where your car is and get simple, real-time guidance would remove another small but frustrating barrier.

It’s a simple use case, but one that shows how powerful this platform could become as more developers get involved.

The Constraint: Battery Life

There is one clear constraint that’s going to become more noticeable as Meta Ray-Ban apps continue to evolve.

Battery life.

The more these apps rely on the camera, whether that’s for live video calls, object detection, or continuous scene understanding, the more power they consume. Even now, if you use the glasses heavily, you start to notice the limits before the end of the day.

As more features arrive, that balance becomes more important.

It doesn’t make the glasses less useful, but it does influence how you use them. You start to think about when to rely on them and when to switch back to your phone. Over time, improvements in battery technology and power management will need to keep pace with the software.

Otherwise, the experience risks becoming inconsistent.

From Gadget to Something More Useful

What’s changing with Meta Ray-Ban apps isn’t just the feature list, it’s the direction of travel. Moving from isolated features to a growing ecosystem of apps is what makes this genuinely interesting.

Be My Eyes, Aira, and Oorion all solve different problems, but together they start to form something more complete. Add in ideas like Curb to Car, and you can begin to see how this becomes part of everyday life rather than something you only use occasionally.

For me, the biggest shift is that I’m thinking less about using the glasses and more about just getting on with things while they quietly support me in the background.

That’s usually a good sign that the technology is starting to get it right.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

Useful Links

Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com
Aira: https://aira.io
Oorion: https://oorion.ai
Curb to Car: https://curbtocar.com

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My Blind Tech Setup 2026

Tim Dixon — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 20:55:30 +0000

I started sharing my Blind Tech Setup in 2022 and received great feedback, updating each year since. So here is my my Blind Tech Setup 2026, I hope you find it useful.

Phone and Watch

In 2025 I updated to the iPhone 17 Pro Max which has provided better battery life and one of my favourite colours, Orange!. I must say I am liking iOS 26 and while I was concerned about the Liquid Glass, the accessibility settings have actually made the phone easier to see and use. It was also time to update to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and apart from it being a little snappier, and the battery lasting longer, although I haven’t noticed a big difference. The black colour of the watch is a highlight for me. I am using VoiceOver on the watch all the time, and turn it on and off on my iPhone. I am still using the limited vision I have, which is deteriorating.

Apple Watch Ultra with Teracotta Alpine Band on a wrist

The iPhone 17 Pro Max gives me all the power, large screen and advanced accessibility features I need along with my Top 5 iPhone Apps for Users with Sight Loss.

Headphones

Being blind, headphones are necessary. I use a range of devices depending on the circumstances. I love my Meta Ray Ban Wayfarer (Gen 1) Smart Glasses, these are my favourite for using and I don’t leave the house without them. They are stylish, with the ability to take photos and call Be My Eyes.

I haven’t used my Sony Linkbuds in 2025, in part due to being out and about less, and also due to the slight discomfort they cause. They are a unique donut design that sits in your ear but allows you full transparency and decent sound quality. They can be found on Amazon: Sony Link Buds on Amazon

Sony Link Buds

2025 saw me upgrade to the Apple AirPod Pro’s 2 after the untimely demise of my Apple AirPod Pro’s. They are my go to for listening to podcasts while I go to sleep. I have an automation setup to play my podcast feed as soon as I put them in, saving me from getting distracted when I pick the phone up to put a podcast on.

The Comply Memory foam tips (Affiliate Link) have improved the comfort and provided a more secure fit for my AirPod Pro’s 2’s, they do need replacing more frequently, but it is worth it.

I also added Sony MDR-7506 headphones to my collection for use with my Macbook Pro; for Zoom calls, podcasting and editing.

Finally, are my Poly Voyager Focus 2 Headset which provide noise cancellation for both audio playback and for the microphone. The most expensive headset I have purchased at nearly £300 (now under £200), but as I wear them for over 8 hours a day, they are worth it. The ability to lift your mic boom and have the call mute is the killer feature. The eighteen hours talk time and comfort make these my favourite. Being Bluetooth, the lag with JAWS is annoying and as I transition to a non-visual working pattern, I will need to consider going wired.

Poly Voyager Focus 2 headset

Note Taking

I started using the Plaud Note during 2025 and have found it to be fantastic for in-person meetings and capturing calls on my mobile. The ability to sit down for a meeting and know that you will have a good quality recording, the transcript and even the minutes allows you to focus on the conversation. The device isn’t approved for use by my employer, but I still get significant benefit from using it in my volunteer roles and capturing notes during medical appointments. Listen to my discussion about the Plaud Note with the troublesome duo, Steven and Shaun, on Double Tap from earlier in the year – watch the video below:

There is a new Plaud Note Pro with better battery life, automated transfer and improved microphones, Check out the Plaud Note Pro on Amazon (Affiiliate Link) Note that there is a subscription to be able to access some of the more advanced features. The app has been updated, but is still lacking accessibility.

Recording Equipment

In 2024, I started to do some more recording and invested in the following equipment:

Microphone: Audio Technica ATR 2100X USB Cardoid Microphone (Affiliate Link). The Audio Technica has the option of XLR or USB connection, making it ideal as a first microphone, providing a path to using the XLR with mixers and more professional equipment. The USB plugs into the bottom of the microphone and then into the iPhone and it works immediately.
Gimbal: Insta 360 Flow Pro (Affiliate Link) to help keep the camera footage stable and smooth. I picked the Insta 360 Flow Pro because it integrates with Apple Dock Kit, allowing the tracking to be used from any application. This was important as I expected the Insta 360 software to be less than accessible, which I was right to be wary of.
Phone Stand: Cooper MagStand (Affiliate Link) Magsafe stand to hold the iPhone for video calls.
Lights: Dual Selfie Clamp on Ring Lights (Affiliate Link) for consistent lighting when on calls/being interviewed.

In 2025, I expanded my recording equipment with the following:

Sony MDR-7506 Studio Headphones – a comfortable pair of closed back headphones for monitoring and editing.
Rode Wireles Pro Microphones (Affiliate Link) – Fantastic wireless microphones with full accessibility. Read my Finding Accessible Wireless Microphones article for more information.
Focusrite Vocaster Two (Affiliate Link) – This has been a game changer for recording and Zoom calls, the ability to have more control over your Microphone and a button for mute has provided significant improvements in my audio quality.

I used the Rode Wireless Pro Microphones, Insta360 Flow and my iPhone 16 Pro Max to record the interviews at Sight Village Central in July. View the interviews from Sight Village Central for Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society.

Braille Display

The Mantis Q40 by APH and Humanware is my main braille display. The combination of a qwerty keyboard and forty cell braille display make the perfect combination. I am still early in my braille journey, so having the QWERTY keyboard allows me to operate at full typing speed while getting the benefit of having braille at my fingertips. See my blog post on my Braille Journey to read about how I got started with Braille.

Mantis Q40 Braille Display

In October I received a DotPad X through my employer and Access To Work, alongside an iPad Air and pencil to allow my access assistant to replicate what is on the white board in meetings for me to feel. I am still in my early days of using the DotPad X, but being able to read more than one cell in Excel at a time is a real game changer.

Braille Embosser

In 2024 I aquired an Index Everest V3 Braille embosser. This is my first embosser and I explain my journey in Extending my ways of Embossing Braille post. I haven’t been using it much in 2025. but it is good to know it is available when I need it.

Screen Reader and Magnification

I currently use Fusion 2025 from Freedom Scientific. Fusion is made up of JAWS and Zoomtext. The combination allows me to zoom and invert colours as needed while having all the power of JAWS to read the screen and navigate. I dropped to running just JAWS in 2024 to increase performance and also try to force a non-visual way of working. A year on and I am still on my journey to non-visual working, it is slow progress.

December 2023, I started using a Macbook Pro with VoiceOver for personal use, and I must say that I like the simplicity of the Mac and doubt I will be changing back. I also purchased a Mac Mini in 2024 to run as a Media server and allow me to retire my aging NAS for something a little more power efficient. I continue to enjoy using the Mac, but note that I still need to move away from using the Magnification as much as I do.

Other Software in My Blind Tech Setup

There are many other software products I use as part of my daily life, but the ones I must mention are Lire, SpeechCentral, Todoist, 1Password and browser extension Nighteye

Lire is a fantastic RSS reader for the Mac and iOS – I use it to help me follow multiple websites, saving me navigating crowded websites.

SpeechCentral is a really useful app available on Mac, iPhone, Android and Windows. It will read articles, documents and PDF’s to you in a range of voices. The contents are synced between Mac and iOS, but not on Windows or Android.

Todoist is a fantastic to-do list application available across platforms with Alexa integration. I use it to implement Getting Things Done by David Allen. GTD is a methodology to help you stay on top of what’s important. In 2024, I have been less vigerous with my GTD, and need to refresh my understanding and become more stringent.

I changed over from LastPass to 1Password in 2023 and only wish I had done it sooner. It is very accessible and has features like autopopulating your multi factor codes, which is a game changer for a low vision or blind user. 1Password is available on all platforms and I have had fantastic support from the team when I have had the odd need to contact them.

Comparison of a website with and without Nighteye Dark mode.

Nighteye is an extension for most browsers and turns any website into dark mode. This plugin saves my photophobic eyes multiple times per day. Check out my articles: How to turn any website to Dark Mode and How to get Dark Mode websites on iPhone and iPad

What should I include in my Blind Tech Setup 2026?

I am always looking to improve my setup, what would you recommend? What works well for you? Let me know in the comments.

The post My Blind Tech Setup 2026 appeared first on TIM DIXON.

Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide – Fall 2025

Tim Dixon — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 20:22:06 +0000

Finding gifts is hard, it is even harder when buying for blind and low vision friends and family. The Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide is here to help with some inspiration, updated for 2025

Cards

Most cards have fancy fonts and poor contrast, making them hard for blind and low vision recipients to enjoy, that’s where specialist cards come in.

Hayley is visually impaired with a rare genetic condition that runs through her family. Hayley set up Dotty About Braille to provide custom handmade cards for low vision and blind recipients at a price comparable to sighted recipients. Check out the amazing range of cards at Dotty About Braille – Personalised Braille Greetings Cards, Labels & more

Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide

The gifts are grouped by their price range, with a some great gifts under £10.

Gifts over £500

Apple iPhone

For many, the Apple iPhone is the ultimate accessibility tool, it provides access to the internet and a range of apps that remove daily barriers. The iPhone range provides a suitable phone for most budgets. Apple Intelligence is the latest feature Apple is rolling out and it promises to help remove more barriers for disabled people, including integration with AI models and Visual Intelligence. If this is important, you need to ensure the phone you buy is capable of supporting it.

Apple iPhone 16e – ~£550

The Apple iPhone 16e is the most affordable phone in the iPhone lineup and replaces the iPhone SE, a favourite for many blind and low vision users. The iPhone comes with FaceID, a larger 6.1 inch screen and support for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 16e doesn’t include the U1 chip which means it can’t do precise finding with AirTags. The AirTags work, but you can’t get any more precise than the room you are in.

Buy the iPhone 16e 128GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple iPhone 17 – ~£799

The iPhone 17 is a 6.3 inch screen and supports Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 17 has an action button and Camera button which can both be used to open key apps like the Magnifier or Be My Eyes. The phones support MagSafe for charging and accessories, making it effortless to charge wirelessly. AirTag precision finding is supported.

Buy the iPhone 17 256GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple iPhone 17 Pro / 17 Pro Max – ~£1099 / £1199

The iPhone 17 Pro is a 6.3 Inch screen and the 16 Pro Max has a 6.9 inch screen. The Pro phones have a 8x optical zoom camera and LIDAR. LIDAR can be used to accurately determine distances and objects. Both phones support the full functionality of AirTags.

Buy the iPhone 17 Pro 256GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Buy the iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Gifts between £250 and £500

Meta Ray Ban Smart Glasses – ~£300

Meta Ray Ban Smart Glasses are taking the blind and low vision world by storm, the ability to make hands free video calls, take photos and ask Meta AI what you are looking at make them a useful addition to our toolbox. See my Blind Meta Ray Ban Review post for a more detailled review of them.

Meta have released a Gen 2 during 2025, which cost more but provide double the battery life and increased video quality. For any first time buyers, I recommend going for the larger battery life.

Ray Ban not the right look, you can now get Oakley HSTN and Oakley Vanguard glasses with the same smart functionality.

Buy the Meta Ray Ban and Meta Oakley Smart Glasses from Meta

Apple HomePod – £299

The Apple HomePod is a high quality smart speaker with fantastic sound. It is integrated with the Apple ecosystem allowing easy control of Homekit devices and access to Apple Music. The HomePod is best as a pair linked to an Apple TV 4k Box, providing Dolby Atmos sound for shows and movies. I have two of these paired with my Apple TV 4K and love the quality of the sound and accessibility of the Apple TV 4K. The Apple TV 4K also works well with the HomePod Mini’s for rooms where you don’t need the full cinema experience.

Buy the Apple HomePod from Apple

Gifts between £100 and £250

Apple AirPod Pro 3 – ~£230

The AirPod Pro 3 in ear headphones are ideal with their transparency mode allowing for high quality audio while still hearing surroundings for navigation. There have improved active noise cancellation and heart rate monitoring over the Airpod Pro 2 headphones. Both models provide fantastic features including adjustments to help with hearing loss, live translations for translating from other languages and head gestures to accept and reject calls.

Buy Apple Airpod Pro 3 from Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Buy Apple Airpod Pro 2 from Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Hable One – ~£190

The Hable One is a Bluetooth controller for phones. It has a simple eight key layout that allows users to easily navigate their phone and type in braille. This allows the phone to be left in a bag or pocket, while operating the phone. It also provides a convenient way to enter text that can be difficult with dictation or using the onscreen keyboard. The Hable One can be purchased from the Hable One Website.

Buy the Hable One from Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple TV 4K – ~£169

The Apple TV 4K is arguably the most accessible TV streaming box. I switched from Amazon Fire TV after trying the Apple TV 4K, the experience is significantly better. Accessing the interface and all apps are accessible, with tight integration to your Apple iPhone allowing you to control the Apple TV from the physical remote, Siri or your phone. Make the most of your Apple TV 4K by connecting it to a pair of HomePod or HomePod Mini smart speakers.

Buy the Apple TV 4k 128GB from Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand – ~£140

Charging cables can be a real pain, from getting tangled up to loosing them down the side of the bedside table, this is where the Belkin 3-in-1 wireless charging stand comes in. The stand provides magsafe charing for the iPhone 12 and above, along with wireless Apple Watch charging and space for Apple Airpods to be wirelessly charged. This is all from a single power cable and adapter, reducing clutter and making life easier. The phone can be positioned in landscape and with standby mode enabled, turns into a large clock display. I have had the previous version a few years now and wouldn’t be without it.

Buy the Belkin 3-in-1 Magsafe Charger from Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Gifts between £50 and £100

Apple HomePod Mini – ~£99

The HomePod Mini is a great sounding smart speaker with integration to the Apple ecosystem. The speaker allows you to control your home, send messages and make calls via your iPhone. When you combine two of these with the Apple TV 4K, you get a fantastic TV experience.

Buy the Apple HomePod Mini from Apple

Lego Braille Bricks Set – ~£80

Lego have released a set of their Braille Bricks that will make the ideal gift for Lego lovers. I reviewed the set in my Lego Braille Bricks Review post. The set provides all you need to start playing and learning braille. The set is great for playing with the family and sharing your braille knowledge.

Buy Lego Braille Bricks from Lego.com

Gifts between £25 and £50

Bluetooth Sunglasses – ~£35

I use Bluetooth sunglasses whenever I leave the house. Apart from shielding the sunlight from my eyes, they also allow me to listen to my phone while still being able to hear my surroundings. I now use Meta Ray Ban’s predominantly, but prior to purchasing them I used the Oho Sunshine Smart Glasse,s available for around £35. The Oho Sunchine smart glasses are well made and great for audio books and text to speech, but don’t expect great sounding music from them.

Buy the Oho Sunshine Glasses on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple AirTag – ~£29

If your loved one is always losing things, Apple Air Tags are ideal for helping them find things themselves. The tags are slightly bigger than a bottle top and you can get a range of accessories for attaching them to items from keys to boxes.

This small device works on iPhone 7 and above, but to get the magic you need an iPhone 11 or above. The AirTags can be pinpointed precisely with the new iPhone’s Ultra-Wide Band chip, therefore making them ideal for the visually impaired. Please note that the iPhone SE 2022 and iPhone 16e does not support Ultra-Wide Band and Air Tag Precise locating features.

James Rath demonstrates Apple Air Tags from a Visually Impaired perspective.

Buy an Apple AirTag on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Gifts less than £25

Pot Watcher – ~£20

Cooking often involves knowing when a pot is boiling and stopping it boil over, the pot watcher is a ceramic coin that is placed in the pot with the water or food, it will rattle when the liquid begins to boil helping to keep you safe.

Buy the Pot Watcher on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

TableCoaster – ~£15

Knocking drinks over is common for most people, but when you are blind or low vision, it is easier to do and more troublesome to clean up, that is where the TableCoaster comes in. The TableCoaster is a tall sided coaster that you can insert your cup on can into, it has a tacky bases that sticks the coaster to the table top. I have two of these and love them, no more searching for where I put my drink, and reassurance that I will not knock the drink over.

Buy the TableCoaster on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Rubrik’s Sensory Cube – ~£15

The classic Rubrik’s Cube is available with tactile markings in addition to colours, making it accessible to blind and low vision problem solvers.

Buy Rubrik’s Sensory Cube from Amacon (Affiliate Link)

Phone Lanyard – ~£10

Using a phone while trying to use a white cane can be challenging, that’s where a lanyard can help. I purchased a lanyard from Amazon and use it with my iPhone 17 Pro Max and Hable One. The lanyard is long, so I put a knot in the lanyard to shorten it.

Buy the Phone Lanyard on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Abutech Grippit Cane Holder- ~£7

White canes can often have a mind of there own, especially when stored at home, from unfolding to falling across the hall. The Abutech Grippit cane holder helps tames a cane, securing it to a wall of cupboard ensuring it is ready for next use.

Buy the Abutech Grippit Cane Holder from RNIB

Loc Dots – ~£4

Loc-Dots are the ideal stocking filler at under £5 per pack of 6 in clear or orange. They are small, raised stickers that can be applied to computer keyboards, TV remotes, heating controls or even on keys to help identify the key you need. I personally use them to mark the capslock key on my keyboard, identify the front door key and to identify the power button on my CPAP machine by touch

Buy Loc-Dots from RNIB

Concluding the Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide

That completes my blind and low vision gift guide, I would love to hear your ideas and add them to the list for others.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

The post Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide – Fall 2025 appeared first on TIM DIXON.

Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses: The New Standard for Accessibility?

Tim Dixon — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 10:10:15 +0000

I’ve spent the past year wearing Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses almost every day. At first glance they look like ordinary Wayfarers, but when you add in the hands-free camera, built-in microphones, and the Be My Eyes integration, they’ve quietly become one of the most useful bits of tech I’ve owned.

That’s not something I say lightly. I’ve tested plenty of so-called “smart” wearables over the years. Most end up abandoned in a drawer once the novelty wears off. These glasses were different. They didn’t just play music or flash notifications — they gave me real independence in moments that mattered.

This year’s Meta Connect showed that Meta is doubling down on that promise. We’re not talking about incremental updates anymore. Meta, Ray-Ban, and now Oakley are making accessibility a centrepiece of their smart glasses story. And if they pull it off, these could be the devices that set the standard for everyone else.

A Year With Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses

When I first picked up the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, I was curious but sceptical. They had the classic Wayfarer look, but under the hood were tiny speakers, microphones, and a discreet camera. For blind and low-vision users, the killer feature wasn’t in Meta’s marketing — it was the integration with Be My Eyes.

That app was already a lifeline on the phone. Being able to double-tap my glasses and connect to a volunteer through Be My Eyes, without juggling a phone in my hand, felt liberating. I used it to:

Check product labels in the supermarket.
Ask for directions when I found myself in unfamiliar streets.
Read notices pinned up in community spaces.
Get a quick description of an outfit when heading out.

Were they perfect? Not at all. The battery life barely lasted four hours, and that was without hammering the camera. Connectivity could be patchy, and Meta’s AI assistant was often clueless when you asked anything beyond the basics.

But they mattered. For the first time, mainstream smart glasses had a clear accessibility benefit, not because they were designed for blind people, but because their features happened to fit our needs. That combination – mass-market product, accidental accessibility win – was exactly how the iPhone became the default choice for blind users once VoiceOver arrived.

Ray-Ban Gen 2: Fixing the Basics

At Connect 2025, Meta unveiled the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Gen 2. On the surface, they don’t look all that different. Same Wayfarer style, same discreet tech. But the upgrades are aimed squarely at the pain points people like me had with Gen 1.

Battery life has been extended, so they can last a full day of moderate use instead of leaving you scrambling for the charging case after lunch.
Camera quality has been improved, making video calls sharper and giving Be My Eyes volunteers a clearer view.
Charging case has been redesigned for faster top-ups and better portability.

These aren’t flashy upgrades. They’re practical ones. Exactly what’s needed to make smart glasses something you can rely on every day, not just slip on occasionally.

Oakley Joins the Line-Up: HSTN and Vanguard

Meta’s partnership with Ray-Ban was already a fashion win. But Connect 2025 also saw the Oakley HSTN and Oakley Vanguard added to the range.

The HSTN is a sportier take on smart glasses, designed for everyday active wearers. They’re lighter, more durable, and aimed at people who might not want the classic Ray-Ban vibe but still want audio and AI at their fingertips.

The Vanguard takes things further into the fitness space. These glasses integrate directly with Strava and Garmin, meaning athletes can have key moments captured without pulling out a phone or smartwatch. For cyclists, runners, or gym-goers who want both performance tracking and audio coaching, this could be a game-changer.

What’s interesting here is that fitness is often overlooked in the accessibility conversation. But the ability to track workouts, hear prompts, and stay oriented without staring at a screen benefits people with low vision just as much as it benefits athletes. Inclusivity and performance don’t have to be separate categories.

The Flagship: Ray-Ban Display + Neuroband

The real star of Connect 2025, though, was the Ray-Ban Display Glasses. These are the first in Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses line-up to feature a display embedded in the lens. That alone is a big leap. Notifications, navigation arrows, and messages can now appear directly in your field of view.

But Meta didn’t stop at “look, it’s a display.” They built accessibility into the foundation:

Built-in screen reader support makes the on-lens content usable for blind and low-vision users.
Live captions for conversations mean you can “see” what people are saying in real-time.
Speech translations bring cross-language communication to your eyes instantly.

For once, these aren’t bolt-on accessibility features hidden in a menu. They were highlighted on stage at Connect, front and centre in the pitch. That shift matters.

Then there’s the Neuroband, an EMG wristband that picks up electrical signals from your muscles. Instead of fumbling for touch controls or barking voice commands, you can subtly pinch or flex to control the glasses. For people with limited mobility or those who just want discretion, this is a potential breakthrough.

Taken together, the Display + Neuroband combo is the first smart glasses package that feels genuinely futuristic and genuinely inclusive.

Accessibility Across the Range

While the Display model is where the flagship accessibility features live, the rest of the glasses aren’t being left behind. Across the board, Meta is:

Improving the AI assistant for more reliable scene descriptions.
Offering voice-first controls so you don’t need to rely on fiddly touchpads.
Expanding hands-free communication options via WhatsApp, Messenger, and beyond.
Opening the door with a developer kit that allows third parties to build dedicated accessibility tools like object recognition, navigation overlays, or specialist communication apps.

Not every model gets live captions or display features. But the fact that accessibility is mentioned across the line-up shows Meta is thinking about inclusivity as a platform, not a side project.

The Ecosystem: Be My Eyes, Aira, and More

The reason I’m optimistic about this trajectory isn’t just hardware. It’s the ecosystem around it.

For the past year, Be My Eyes has been my go-to app on these glasses. I can’t overstate how powerful it is to double-tap the frame, share my perspective, and get immediate visual help without holding a phone.

Aira integration has also been valuable when I’ve needed professional, trained support. And WhatsApp bots — like those powered by ChatGPT or PiccyBot — show that lightweight, conversational AI tools can slot into the glasses seamlessly.

Now add the developer kit to the mix. Developers can start creating apps purpose-built for the glasses rather than shoehorning in WhatsApp Bots. That could mean better navigation tools, smarter translation, or new services none of us have thought of yet.

It’s exactly what happened with the iPhone: once Apple opened the App Store, accessibility exploded, not because Apple did everything themselves, but because the community built on top of it.

Microsoft Seeing AI will be one of the first apps to leveredge the developer kit, meaning the Ray Ban’s will be integrated with arguably the Blind and Low Vision communities top two apps – Be My Eyes and Seeing AI.

Caveats and Challenges

I’m optomisitic, but not oblivious to the challenges.

Privacy: These are still cameras strapped to your face, made by a company with a history of data misuse. Public acceptance may lag behind the tech.
Battery: Even with improvements, constant use will drain them quickly. frequent charging is unavoidable.
Connectivity: Lose signal in a supermarket, and suddenly your AI helper goes silent. Offline support is still limited.
Cost: At around £300–£400, they’re cheaper than specialist assistive devices but still a significant outlay.

And let’s be clear: sign-language interpretation is not part of the package. Live captions and translations are powerful, but full sign-language support would be another leap. That’s one area where specialist solutions may continue to lead.

Competitors and the Specialist Market

Meta isn’t the only player in this space. Companies like Envision have released glasses tailored specifically for blind users, with deep integration of AI description and navigation. Aira has experimented with dedicated hardware. Smaller firms are prototyping sign-language recognition tools.

The difference is scale. Meta can deliver polished, stylish, mass-market glasses at a price point that specialist companies can’t match. That doesn’t make the niche devices irrelevant — they’ll still offer depth and features Meta might not prioritise. But if Meta keeps accessibility at the forefront, they could become the default choice in the way the iPhone eclipsed specialist phones.

The Outlook: An iPhone Moment?

This feels like a tipping point. For the first time, a mainstream tech company has made accessibility one of the core reasons to buy their smart glasses. Not an afterthought, not a niche add-on, but a selling point.

If developers embrace the SDK and start building apps that matter — whether that’s navigation for blind users, enhanced communication tools for deaf users, or entirely new categories — then yes, Meta could define the accessible smart glasses standard for years to come.

If they don’t, these glasses risk being remembered as another flashy experiment.

But standing here, a year into using the first-gen glasses, watching Meta roll out Gen 2, Oakley partnerships, and the Display + Neuroband flagship, I’m cautiously optimistic. Accessibility isn’t just along for the ride anymore. It’s steering.

Conclusion – Meta’s Ray-ban Glasses

So, will Meta become the accessible smart glasses standard?

Right now, I’d say they’re closer than anyone else. The first-gen Ray-Bans proved real-world utility with Be My Eyes. The Gen 2 fixes the basics. Oakley broadens the appeal into lifestyle and fitness. And the Display + Neuroband package delivers features — screen reader, captions, translations, discreet controls — that put accessibility at the heart of the product.

There are still unanswered questions around privacy, battery, and breadth of accessibility features. But for the first time, a mainstream smart glasses platform feels like it’s genuinely built for everyone.

If the community of developers and users steps up, these glasses could be the iPhone moment for accessibility. Not a niche device, but the new standard.

And after a year of living with them on my face, that’s a future I can actually picture.

If you don’t already have Meta’s Ray-Ban Glasses, now is a great time to pick up a pair.

Sources:

Double Tap On Air – Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses accessibility features
Double Tap On Air – Meta opens up smart glasses to developers
Meta Connect – Official event page
Meta – Ray-Ban Display Glasses product page
Tom’s Guide – Meta Connect 2025 live updates

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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Blind Meta Ray Ban Review 2025

Tim Dixon — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:30:51 +0000

It’s six months since my initial review of the Meta Ray Ban Glasses, so time to for an update with this Blind Meta Ray Ban Review. Read the initial Blind Meta Ray Ban Review, which covers the basics. This review is focusing on changes and the WhatsApp bots that enhance the functionality for the blind and low vision community.

What are Meta Ray Ban Smart Glasses?

A quick reminder, Meta teamed up with the iconic Ray Ban sunglasses brand to bring smart glasses to the world. These are a follow on to the Meta Stories which allowed people to capture photos and videos. The Meta Ray Bans built on this success and added Meta AI, an AI chat bot allowing you to ask questions and to use the camera as a source of input. This allows for questions like ‘Hey Meta, look and describe the scene’, initiating the camera followed by a description of your surroundings.

Being Ray Ban glasses they provide a couple of styles but a whole range of lenses including prescription options to fit your specific needs. The glasses have a built-in 12 megapixel camera discretely placed in the corner of the frames. The glasses arms contain speakers that allow you to listen to responses, play music and make calls using the five built in microphones. The battery lasts up to 4 hours with a further 36 hours available by placing them in the supplied case to charge.

What have I been using the Ray Bans for?

The Meta Ray Ban glasses have been extremely useful, however Meta AI stopped being available in the UK shortly after my last article and has only recently become available again. During that time I used these features regularily:

Bluetooth speakers in the glasses arms, allowing for listening while still allowing the wearer to hear the outside world. Great for navigation.
Ability to recieve and send messages hands free via text, Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp.
Ability to take photos and videos with a simple click or voice command.
Ability to ask Meta to take a photo and send it to a contact in Whats App or Facebook Messenger.
Make a video call to a Whats App contact and share the view from your glassses. This is super useful for assistance, allowing you to keep your hands free while getting sighted help.
Calling a Be My Eyes Volunteer hands free.
Using Aira via a WhatsApp call

These are all fantastic features and provide very useful, but the promise of AI greatness was missing.

What is new for Blind Meta Ray Ban?

Earlier this month Meta AI Look and Tell become available in the UK again, it is much improved on the early experience I had. It is very fast to respond when I ask it to look and read the box in front of me. It is very useful but, there is always a but, you need to be specific with your prompts and may need to ask several times to get the information you need. This is the worst it will ever be, and there is no doubt that this will get better.

In the US, there is a live mode available in beta, where it is looking all the time and doesn’t need to take a photo and then respond. This is an improvement, but will consume more battery power and still requires you to prompt it. The ideal of being able to ask the glasses to tell you when a bus approaches is still some time away.

While Meta AI wasn’t available fully in the UK, we saw the release of WhatsApp Bots from ChatGPT, PiccyBot and NOA Chat from biped.ai.

ChatGPT WhatsApp Bot

ChatGPT launched a WhatsApp bot that you can chat with in WhatsApp, sending it images and asking for descriptions. My initial thought was that I don’t need this, I have the app – then it dawned on me that I can send messages and images from my Meta Ray Ban’s to ChatGPT and get responses hands free.

Setting ChatGPT WhatsApp Bot up:

Add 1-800-242-8478 to your phones contacts and call it ChatGPT
Go into WhatsApp and start a conversation with ChatGPT, it will respond.
Now you can way “Hey Meta, send a message to ChatGPT” and message ChatGPT hands free.

It is great having ChatGPT available, but note that it often returns more text than can be read by the glasses and you may need to prompt a response with a limit or pick up your phone.

PiccyBot WhatsApp Bot

PiccyBot is an app designed specifically for the blind and low vision community. It is extremely powerful and provides users with the option for using multiple AI models to describe images and videos. The developer has extended the service to provide a WhatsApp Bot.

Setting up PiccyBot WhatsApp Bot:

Register for PiccyBot: PiccyBot Registration Form
You will get a WhatsApp Message, Save the Contact as PiccyBot
To send a photo, you say “Hey Meta, take a photo and send it to PiccyBot.”
To send a video, say “Hey Meta, take a video.” → Say “Stop” to finish recording. After stopping, say: “Send the latest video to PiccyBot.”(Videos are limited to 15 seconds.)

Full instructions on the PiccyBot Website

With PiccyBot being specific for the blind and low vision community, it is an excellent service and knows the message limits, customising the responses to the bounds of Meta Ray Ban constraints.

NOA Chat by Biped AI WhatsApp Bot

Biped AI are known for their AI power navigation wearables and have brought that experience and technology to WhatsApp with NOA Chat.

It is disappointing the the video by biped isn’t audio described.

Setting up NOA Chat WhatsApp Bot:

Add the NOA Chat Contact or add +1 (406) 612-4108 to your phones contacts.
Send an image to NOA to check you get a response.
Now you can ask Meta to send an image to this contact for a description.

There is no denying that the navigation responses are fantastic, but this service is limited to 15 requests a week and then requires a subscription.

Blind Meta Ray Ban Considerations

It is great to have tech at a considerably lower cost than specialist tech, currently about £300 a pair, but this is still a lot of money for something we could easily damage – walking into a tree branch, sitting on them, etc.

The battery life does lead to some trepidation of running out. Having the case to charge them works really well, but taking them off and on to keep them charged during the day is a pain, especially if you need them to block the light. I have a pair of Oho Sunshine bluetooth glasses that just fit in the case, so I can swap between them and mitigate this a little.

Internet connection is needed, so if you are deep in a supermarket you may find there isn’t a connection to be able to do what you need. I believe many supermarkets provide wifi, but you will need to factor this in and ensure you are setup before you start shopping.

The glasses remove some of the difficulty in taking photos and videos, making it easy for us to capture with a single click and be pointing in the right direction. They won’t rival the quality of a phone camera, but they are reasonable. Some blind users are using them to help capture incidents or barriers as they come across them.

Would I Recommend Them?

After 6 months of using the glasses, my answer is the same. Yes, I would recommend the Meta Ray Ban smart glasses. Meta AI is improving, all the time, and with the additional WhatsApp bots the functionality is increasing. My only caution is that there are new glasses from Meta rumoured later in 2025 and we are seeing other blind specific glasses in development, such as the Agiga Echo Vision Glasses, so if you are on a budget and not in a rush, waiting for this hype cycle to pass and the market to settle may be wise.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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How to Identify Clothes when Blind

Tim Dixon — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:32:42 +0000

As my sight loss has progressed, I have learnt to identify clothes when blind by adapting how I select and organise my wardrobe. I’ve opted to have all my socks the same, making pairing and finding socks easier. For t-shirts, I choose ones with patterns on the front that I can feel to know which way around to put them on. Overall, I’ve simplified my wardrobe to be less exciting but more practical, ensuring that everything goes together.

There are times when I need to know the colour of my shirt and I can use the Colour Detector in Seeing AI. My wonderful wife does all the laundry, but it got me wondering how I would cope if I was alone, so I started looking at options to help know the clothing items and their washing instructions. This article will focus on how to identify clothes and their washing instructions and stop short of how to use a washing machine (I haven’t had my training on that yet…)

Sighted Assistance

One route is to get sighted assistance, in person or via apps like Be My Eyes or Aira that can connect you with someone who can then read the clothes labels via your phone’s camera. This works well, but means you are dependent on others for every wash.

WayAround – NFC Tags

WayAround is an NFC (Near Field Communication) tag system with a wide range of NFC tags, from stickers to buttons that can be sewn into your clothes. I was particularly interested in the buttons that are designed for laundry. The app is easy to use and allows you to scan the tag and provide custom laundry instructions. Once done, the next time you scan the tag, the laundry instructions are read to you. The buttons are just smaller than a 10 pence piece and have two holes in them to allow them to be sewn into your clothes.

Get the WayAround App

The app is free with no subscription. Simply purchase the WayAround Tags from Computer Room Services to get started.

Generic NFC Tags

Being a geek, I wanted to see if I could get some generic NFC tags and use them for labelling. The short answer is that you can, but the question then becomes, what are the advantages and disadvantages. I managed to pick up some Laundry NFC button tags for around 70p each, which understandably, is cheaper than the WayAround ones. These generic NFC tags cannot be used with the WayAround app.

I purchased 10 NFC Buttons from Amazon (Affiliate Link) and installed Simply NFC App on my iPhone for writing and reading from NFC tegs. The app is accessible and allows you to write text to the NFC tag. Once written, you can switch to the read option and read the tag. The text can be anything you want. This is where a generic NFC tag differs from WayAround.

WayAround provides a range of options for the information you want to capture, providing drop down lists for many laundry options, such as temperature. This makes capturing information about your clothes easier and more consistent. On the generic tags, it is just a text field. The next difference is that WayAround stores that information in the cloud and refences it with the tag’s identifier. On generic tags, you are writing the data directly to the tag. This means that anyone with a phone can read the information.

Conclusion on How to Identify Clothes when Blind

While WayAround tags cost more, I personally think it is worth paying for and getting the benefits of the WayAround app, also knowing it is all designed for blind people specifically.

Check out How to use NFC to trigger Apple Shortcuts for other uses of NFC Tags.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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My Blind Tech Setup 2025

Tim Dixon — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000

I Started sharing my Blind Tech Setup in 2022 and recieved great feedback. Updating last year to great feedback. So I decided not to disappoint by updating my Blind Tech Setup 2025. I am sharing what I use in my Blind Tech Setup this year, I hope you find it useful.

Phone and Watch

I have updated to the iPhone 16 Pro Max with Apple Intelligence and the Camera Control button, and I must say I am liking what is available after the iOS 18.2 update. I decided to stick with the Apple Watch Ultra as there was no Ultra 3 released, and to be honest my original Ultra is doing the job. I am using VoiceOver on the watch all the time, and turn it on and off on my iPhone. I am still using the limited vision I have, which is deteriorating.

Apple Watch Ultra with Orange Alpine Band on a wrist

The iPhone 16 Pro Max gives me all the power, large screen and advanced accessibility features I need along with my Top 5 iPhone Apps for Users with Sight Loss.

Headphones

Being blind, headphones are necessary. I use a range of devices depending on the circumstances. I still love using my Oho Sunshine bluetooth sunglasses, the longer battery life, standard USB C charging point and lower price point make them ideal for most of what I need them for. I wouldn’t use them to listen to music though. In September, I purchased the Meta Ray Ban Wayfarer Smart Glasses, these are my favourite for using now – stylish with the ability to take photos and call Be My Eyes.

Oho Sunshine Sunglasses

I haven’t used my Sony Linkbuds in 2024, in part due to being out and about less, and also due to the comfort of them. They are a unique donut design that sits in your ear but allows you full transparency and decent sound quality. They can be found on Amazon: Sony Link Buds on Amazon

Sony Link Buds

I use my Apple AirPod Pro’s for listening to podcasts while I go to sleep. I have an automation setup to play my podcast feed as soon as I put them in, saving me from getting distracted when I pick the phone up to put a podcast on….

I also added traditional 3.5mm Apple Earpods to my collection for when I am using my Mac Book Pro or for monitoring my microphone.

Finally, are my Poly Voyager Focus 2 Headset which provide noise cancellation for both audio playback and for the microphone. The most expensive headset I have purchased at nearly £300, but as I wear them for over 8 hours a day, they are worth it. The ability to lift your mic boom and have a call mute is the killer feature. The eighteen hours talk time and comfort make these my favourite. Find them o https://amzn.to/4gQKwJv n Amazon: Poly – Voyager Focus 2 UC USB-C Headset with Stand

Poly Voyager Focus 2 headset

Recording Equipment

In 2024, I started to do some more recording and invested in the following equipment:

Microphoe: Audio Technica ATR 2100X USB Cardoid Microphone (Affiliate Link). The Audio Technica has the option of XLR or USB connection, making it ideal as a first microphone, providing a path to using the XLR with mixers and more professional equipment. The USB plugs into the bottom of the microphone and then into the iPhone and it works immediately.
Gimbal: Insta 360 Flow Pro (Affiliate Link) to help keep the camera footage stable and smooth. I picked the Insta 360 Flow Pro because it integrates with Apple Dock Kit, allowing the tracking to be used from any application. This was important as I expected the Insta 360 software to be less than accessible, which I was right to be wary of.
Phone Stand: Cooper MagStand (Affiliate Link) Magsafe stand to hold the iPhone for video calls.
Lights: Dual Selfie Clamp on Ring Light.s (Affiliate Link) for consistent lighting when on calls/being interviewed.

Read how I got on recording at Sight Village North East 2024 in my post Sight Village Interviews: Behind the Scenes

Braille Display

Mantis Q40 Braille Display

Braille Embosser

In 2024 I aquired an Index Everest V3 Braille embosser. This is my first embosser and I explain my journey in Extending my ways of Embossing Braille post.

Screen Reader and Magnification

I currently use Fusion 2025 from Freedom Scientific. Fusion is made up of JAWS and Zoomtext. The combination allows me to zoom and invert colours as needed while having all the power of JAWS to read the screen and navigate. More recently I have dropped to running just JAWS to increase performance and also try to force a non-visual way of working.

Last December I started using a Macbook Pro with VoiceOver for personal use, and I must say that I like the simplicity of the Mac and doubt I will be changing back. I have also purchased a Mac Mini to run as a Media server and allow me to retire my aging NAS for something a little more power efficient.

Other Software in My Blind Tech Setup

There are many other software products I use as part of my daily life, but the ones I must mention are Lire, SpeechCentral, Todoist, 1Password and browser extension Nighteye

Lire is a fantastic RSS reader for the Mac and iOS – I use it to help me follow multiple websites, saving me navigating crowded websites.

Comparison of a website with and without Nighteye Dark mode.

What should I include in my Blind Tech Setup?

I am always looking to improve my setup, what would you recommend? What works well for you? Let me know in the comments.

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Blind and Low Vision Smart Glasses Explained

Tim Dixon — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:46:50 +0000

There are many Smart Glasses available to support blind and low vision users, but are they for you? Well, that is going to depend on many factors, such as your level of vision and the scenarios you want to use them. In this article, I will outline the categories of smart glasses and their use cases.

There are four categories:

Bluetooth Glasses – essentially bluetooth headphones in glasses form
Mainstream Camera Smart Glasses – Smart Glasses with a camera designed and targeted at the general public.
Mainstream Screen based Smart Glasses – Smart Glasses with screens in the lenses, allowing viewing of content directly on the glasses.
Specialist Smart Glasses – Smart Glasses designed for the blind and low vision market, to meet our specific needs.

Bluetooth Glasses

Bluetooth glasses are essentially headphones in the form of glasses. They allow open ear listening, great for using navigation apps while still being able ot hear your surroundings. I have multiple pairs and recommend the Oho Sunshine Bluetooth Sunglasses (Affiliate Link) for cost effective glasses with USB C charging.

Mainstream Camera Smart Glasses

The best example of mainstream Camera Smart Glasses are the Meta RayBan Smart Glasses. These come in around £300-£500 depending the frames and lenses. Being RayBan glasses, you can have prescription lenses. There are a few other companies looking to enter this market in 2025.

Meta Ray Ban functionality and uses

Use them to listen to your phone, voiceover/music/make calll
Ask Meta AI (using your voice), about the time and general questions about weather or history etc.
Ask Meta AI to take a photo or video – this is hands free and based on where you are looking – making capturing memories easier.
Ask Meta AI to send a message or read a message from SMS, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger
Send photos and videos via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger
Make Audio and Video calls via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. When in a video call, you can double tap the camera button on the right glasses arm and it will send your glasses camera feed to the person you have called. Great for calling friends and family for help.
Be My Eyes – Ask Meta AI to Be My Eyes and it will connect you to a volunteer who can see through your glasses without needing to pick up your phone.
Video recordings have a max limit of up to 3 minutes
Battery lasts for about 15 minutes of video recording, so you will need to charge them. Charging is simple, you just put them in the case and it charges. The charging is pretty fast – 50% in 20-30 minutes.
The glasses use your phone for internet connection, you will need this on and within a signal range to work.
The big feature we all got excited about, was the one called Look and Tell. This seems to be very intermittent in the UK, some people have it and other don’t. Then it disappears one day even if you did have it. This is where you can ask meta to describe what you are looking at. It is cool, but I found I had to ask lots of follow up questions to get the details. It was not good at reading text, often summarising or adding information that didn’t exist. Meta have stated that this functionality is not available in the UK at this time (Dec 2024).

For more information and links to videos – see my Meta RayBan Review post.

Mainstream Screen based Smart Glasses

These are glasses that have screens in the lenses. These are often targeted at people watching moves on the equiverlant to a 140 inch screen. As a result, I am yet to hear of them being used for low vision, although they can be connected to computers to provide a large screen. Check out TCL Nxtwear Glasses Product

Specialised Glasses

Specialised glasses/headsets are developed specifically for the Blind and Low Vision community. Specialist devices are typically much more expensive with the cost between £3,000-£10,000. Some of the common products include:

Envision Glasses

The Envision glasses provide the functionality of the Envision App you can get on your phone. They will read text, call people and identify objects. The hardware is based on Google Glass, but Google stopped producing these a few years ago. Envision will support them, but to be honest they are showing their age and the functionality compared to Meta RayBan’s don’t justify the cost in my opinion. I did try the Envision glasses a year or so ago and couldn’t justify the cost for me.

Orcam

Orcam is device you can attach to your glasses and it will read printed text. It is great as it does it all offline and is accurate. However the cost is high and the parent company are changing focus. I have an old version and wouldn’t buy it again. The startup time is just a little too long and the battery life is too short. I was also disappointed that after just over a year, additional features became available and to get them, I needed to upgrade the device for 3/4’s of the original cost.
For a demo and advice, check out VisionAid – Orcam Product Page

Headsets

Finally with have a range of products that you put on your head and look at screens, the screens display what the cameras on the front of the device sees, but it adjusts it for different eye conditions. These are great for making the most of your vision, especially if your vision is stable and not deteriorating. You would have to try different ones to find what works for you. VisionAid are very good, they will come out to you and help you select the right specialist tech for you. Check out the VisionAid Iris Vision Product Page amd reach out ot VisionAid to discuss your requirements.

Blind and Low Vision Smart Glasses Conclusion

The smart glasses and AI technology are moving fast, with early AI models available that describe realtime video feeds. If you can afford to buy a product and accept you may only get 12-24 months out of them before they are superceded by the next innovation. It is easier to take that change with Glasses like the Meta RayBan, but the specialised technology is, in my opinion, too expensive to take a chance on. Only you will know the positive impact on your life and if they are worth the costs.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide – Fall 2024

Tim Dixon — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:04:08 +0000

Finding gifts is hard, it is even harder when buying for blind and low vision friends and family. The Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide is here to help with some inspiration.

Cards

Most cards have fancy fonts and poor contrast, making them hard for blind and low vision recipients to enjoy, that’s where specialist cards come in.

Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide

Gifts over £500

Apple iPhone

Apple iPhone SE 2022 – ~£430

The Apple iPhone SE 2022 is the most affordable phone in the iPhone lineup and has been a favourite for many blind and low vision users. The screen is the smallest in the range with a 4.7 inch screen. It still has finger print recognition loved by many. The SE is due to be replaced next year and doesn’t support Apple Intelligence in the current version. While the base model comes with 64gb of storage, I would recommend a minimum of 128gb of storage. The iPhone SE doesn’t include the U1 chip which means it can’t do precise finding with AirTags. The AirTags work, but you can’t get any more precise than the room you are in.

Buy the iPhone SE 2022 128GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple iPhone 16 / 16 Plus – ~£799 / ~£899

The iPhone 16 is a 6.1 inch screen and the 16 Plus as a 6.7 inch screen. Both phones support Apple Intelligence and come with the new Camera Control button to make it easier to take photos. The difference between the 16 and 16 plus relates to the screen size, and with a bigger screen comes more space for a battery and therefore a longer battery life. Both phones support the full functionality of AirTags.

Buy the iPhone 16 128GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Buy the iPhone 16 Plus 128GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple iPhone 16 Pro / 16 Pro Max – ~£999 / £1199

The iPhone 16 Pro is a 6.3 Inch screen and the 16 Pro Max has a 6.9 inch screen. The Pro phones have a 5x optical zoom camera and LIDAR. LIDAR can be used to accurately determine distances and objects. Both phones support the full functionality of AirTags.

Buy the iPhone 16 Pro 128GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Buy the iPhone 16 Pro Max 256GB on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Gifts between £250 and £500

Meta Ray Ban Smart Glasses – ~£300

Buy the Meta Ray Ban Smart Glasses from Meta

Apple HomePod – £299

Buy the Apple HomePod from Apple

Gifts between £100 and £250

Apple AirPod Pro 2 – ~£230

The AirPod Pro 2 in ear headphones are ideal with their transparency mode allowing for high quality audio while still hearing surroundings for navigation. Apple recently updated the software to allow them to act as hearing aids, analysing your hearing and tuning the audio output to fit your needs.

Buy Apple Airpod Pro 2 from Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Gifts between £50 and £100

Apple HomePod Mini – ~£99

Buy the Apple HomePod Mini from Apple

Lego Braille Bricks Set – ~£80

Buy Lego Braille Bricks from Lego.com

Gifts between £25 and £50

Bluetooth Sunglasses – ~£35

Buy the Oho Sunshine Glasses on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Apple AirTag – ~£29

This small device works on iPhone 7 and above, but to get the magic you need an iPhone 11 or above. The AirTags can be pinpointed precisely with the new iPhone’s Ultra-Wide Band chip, therefore making them ideal for the visually impaired. Please note that the iPhone SE 2022 does not support Ultra-Wide Band and Air Tag Precise locating features.

James Rath demonstrates Apple Air Tags from a Visually Impaired perspective.

Buy an Apple AirTag on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Gifts less than £25

Pot Watcher – ~£20

Buy the Pot Watcher on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

TableCoaster – ~£15

Buy the TableCoaster on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Phone Lanyard – ~£10

Using a phone while trying to use a white cane can be challenging, that’s where a lanyard can help. I purchased the Orange Cobee Lanyard from Amazon and use it with my iPhone 14 Pro Max and Hable One. The lanyard is long, so I put a knot in the lanyard to shorten it.

Buy the Orange Phone Cobee Lanyard on Amazon (Affiliate Link)

Abutech Grippit Cane Holder- ~£5

Buy the Abutech Grippit Cane Holder from RNIB

Loc Dots – ~£4

Buy Loc-Dots from RNIB

Concluding the Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide

That completes my blind and low vision gift guide, I would love to hear your ideas and add them to the list for others.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

The post Blind and Low Vision Gift Guide – Fall 2024 appeared first on TIM DIXON.