Seleste Unveils Smart Glasses for Blind People
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Canadian company Seleste has developed glasses to assist visually impaired individuals regain independence, and the company CEO Shubh Mittal joined Steven and Shaun to discuss the origins of the business.
The glasses themselves have a camera, microphone, and speaker that enable text reading, object detection, and face recognition. A recent added feature helps users identify car make and model when ordering Uber. They resemble regular ones and come with a companion app for phone handling functions. The goal is to make the glasses discreet and user-friendly.
Connection reliability is a major focus, enabling video calls and AI-powered tasks in daily life. Currently, the frame rate is around 25 frames per second with adaptive resolution adjustments when moving. The glasses work with Apple and Android devices and offer voice commands and touchpad controls. Key selling points include providing specific helpful information, acting as an assistant with integrated chat, and continually adding valuable features.
The idea for the device came from conversations with the Canadian National Paralympic team who experienced vision loss.
The goal is to make the glasses customizable and affordable, with a subscription model costing $50 per month for hardware and software updates. There is also a $100 upfront fee to get the glasses shipped. The company is mainly focusing on North America, but there is interest from other parts of the world.