Introducing ‘Ask Envision’: A Gamechanger for the Blind and Low Vision Community

At Envision, we have always been at the cutting edge of technology and innovation, with which we disrupt the old-fashioned norms of assistive technology for the better. Our latest game-changer is ‘Ask Envision’, a powerful new feature on the Envision Glasses that leverages GPT-4 by OpenAI to provide simple yet powerful virtual assistance to better access information and understand the world around us.

How does the ‘Ask Envision’ feature work?

The Ask Envision feature allows Envision Glasses customers to ask questions about a piece of text or document they have just scanned, such as a menu card, electricity bill, or cooking instructions, and ask questions about the content. For example, after scanning a menu you could Ask Envision "What are the vegetarian options available?", After telling you that Envision is answering your question, you would hear a reply, perhaps something like this,  “There are three vegetarian options on the menu, mushroom risotto, spinach pie, and fried tofu salad”. The feature uses GPT-4 by OpenAI, one of the most advanced language models in the world, to understand and answer natural language questions.

Ask Envision is built into the Envision Glasses text ‘Reader’, which can be accessed after using the ‘Scan Text’ feature. Once your text is processed and opened in the ‘Reader’, all you have to do is press and hold the hinge button on your Envision Glasses until you hear a chime. Now ask your question, and wait for the virtual assistant to answer.

With Ask Envision, people who are blind or have low vision can access any text-based content with ease. The feature enhances independence, creating enjoyable experiences without having to rely on others.

Watch the video below to see how to use the new feature in more detail.

Benefits of ‘Ask Envision’

1. Enhanced accessibility

The Ask Envision feature enables people who are blind or have low vision to experience greater access to visual information. The feature provides real-time information, making it easier to read, ask questions, and gather information. 

If, for example, you’re ready to bake using, a new cake mix, you can simply scan the box and Ask Envision “What temperature do I need to pre-heat the oven to?” or “How many eggs do I need?”

2. Greater independence

The Ask Envision enables Envision Glasses customers to carry out their daily activities with greater independence by making it easier to access information on their own terms.

When reading your next electricity bill, you can now simply scan it using the Envision Glasses and then Ask Envision, “How much do I need to pay?” or “When is the due date?” to get the important information you need. 

3. More opportunities

Ask Envision opens up more opportunities in the workplace by providing easier access to information, such as books, manuals, educational materials, and much more. With more access comes more career choices, opportunities, and fulfillment.

An early Envision beta tester, whose job primarily includes data entry, has used Ask Envision to reduce his work time per task from 30 minutes to under 2 minutes. From previously having to laboriously scroll through the text line by line with a screen reader to find certain data points,  Ask Envision simply finds it for him!

Conclusion

In conclusion, ‘Ask Envision’ promotes accessibility, independence, and more opportunities for Envision Glasses users. We encourage you to request a demo of Envision Glasses and experience this feature for yourself.

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