Two European companies have developed smart glasses that allow blind and visually impaired people to recognise and avoid objects and navigate confidently. Belgian assistive tech company Sensotec and Spanish spatial audio specialist Eyesynth have developed the glasses that use AI to convert visual information into intuitive auditory cues.

The NIIRA glasses provide blind users with 3D perception, natural and intuitive sound language and bone conduction audio.

“We’ve seen many attempts to bridge the visual and auditory worlds over the years,” said Ivar Illing, Product Manager at Sensotec. “Experiencing NIIRA for the first time was truly amazing. This technology has the potential to transform how blind and visually impaired individuals interact with their surroundings.”

Antonio Quesada, Founder and CEO of Eyesynth, said “After extensive research and user testing, we have developed the NIIRA glasses to translate the visual world into intuitive, pleasant, and easily understandable audio cues, providing a high-quality, user-friendly mobility solution.”