The next generation of OrCam MyEye

In January, at 100% Optical OrCam unveiled their latest product; OrCam MyEye 2.0. The team in Israel have increased the functionality of the product whilst also decreasing the size and weight.

Now the device, which is as small as your index finger, fits magnetically onto a glasses frame, can be worn both on the left or right side, and there’s no battery pack as with the previous model. The device is wireless and automatically updates the software when needed.



Other new features include the ability to detect colour, in-built LED lighting for reading in low light and telling the date and time with the simple, intuitive gesture of lifting up your wrist as if you were telling the time from a watch.
 
OrCam was co-founded by Amnon Shashua, a computer-science professor at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Ziv Aviram. Both are also the co-founders of Mobileye the accident avoidance system used in cars that recognises pedestrians and cyclists. Using their knowledge of artificial vision and artificial intelligence they have developed the technology into a wearable device that greatly improves the lives of people who are blind, visually impaired or have a reading disability.

There are two million people in the UK that live with sight loss. It is predicted that by 2020 the number will rise to 2,250,000. And by 2050 it will be over four million (RNIB). This is due to the ageing population - age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in adults, as well as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Almost half of blind and partially sighted people feel ‘moderately’ or ‘completely’ cut off from people and things around them, with OrCam MyEye we hope to connect these people with society giving them the ability to interact and at the same time to be independent.