The device is a combination of gaming glasses and prescription glasses, creating a 3D image where text, graphics, and videos can be overlaid on real-world images.
When their two-year-old son Biel frequently fell and struggled to climb stairs after learning to walk, Jaume Puig and his wife sought medical help to identify the problem.
After consulting several doctors, they discovered that Biel had congenital low vision, a condition much more common than blindness that makes daily tasks significantly more challenging.
In Biel’s case, the low vision was due to an issue with the optic nerve, but this condition can also stem from defects in the retina, brain, or other parts of the visual system, or from diseases such as glaucoma or macular degeneration.
Vision Assistance Device
Low vision cannot be treated with glasses or surgery. While magnifying glasses can assist with specific tasks like reading, there is currently no technology available that supports toddlers.
Therefore, in 2017, Jaume Puig—a Spanish electrical engineer—and his wife, Dr. Constanza Lucero, founded Biel Glasses, a company that invents digital devices to help those with low vision navigate safely.
“Cane and guide dogs are the only options currently available. We are doing this because we see it as truly necessary,” Jaume Puig, 52, told AFP at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, the largest annual gathering in the telecommunications industry. Their head-worn device was displayed at the exhibition.
As a combination of gaming glasses and prescription glasses, it creates a 3D image where text, graphics, and videos can be superimposed on real-world images. The device also utilizes AI to detect and signal obstacles.
“We can use this technology to enhance our child’s limited vision so they can become more independent. Even if we cannot cure them, we can still help them in this way,” Jaume Puig stated about Biel, who is now 8 years old.
When the wearer approaches an object blocking their path, a large red circle appears on the screen to warn them about the obstacle. It also allows them to zoom in on street signs or other objects.
Developing these glasses cost 900,000 euros, with the couple investing 65,000 euros and the remainder sourced from public organizations and community funding. They collaborated with a team of doctors and computer engineers, including one of Spain’s leading experts on low vision, to create a product that has been approved for use in the European Union.
The device is expected to be sold in Spain and Denmark by the end of this year. This special pair of glasses needs to be customized to meet the specific needs of each user and is currently priced at 4,900 euros (5,850 USD).
Jaume Puig, who has founded several other tech startups, now hopes to add voice activation features and a navigation system compatible with Google Maps in future versions of the device.
