I have a pair of these, and I can definitely see the assistive benefits. I specifically got them for two use cases: walking my two large dogs (hands are occupied with leashes) and riding my...
I have a pair of these, and I can definitely see the assistive benefits. I specifically got them for two use cases: walking my two large dogs (hands are occupied with leashes) and riding my motorcycle (don't have to take my attention off the road). I was honestly pretty skeptical about the purchase initially and was prepared to return them, but I have found them sufficiently helpful to keep.
I imagine that the "describe what I'm looking at" feature is tremendously useful for visually impaired people. (And the "Be My Eyes" option of course but I don't have any experience of it so can't speak to it.) Also somewhat useful for people with chronic joint pain, for example--I have mild arthritis in my right hand, and the glasses mean I don't have to painfully fumble with my phone to manipulate my playing media or type anything in order to text someone or make a call.
That said, I would definitely echo the concerns around hallucinations and misinformation, it's probably a privacy nightmare as is anything involving Meta, and in the current iteration of the product there are a surprising number of things that it can't do. But I can definitely see a future where better versions of glasses like these are commonly used by visually impaired or otherwise disabled people, particularly because it's what some would probably consider shockingly affordable for a medical device that's assistive to that degree.
The motorcycle bit was why I was looking at the Ray-Bans in the first place--at the time I was also shopping for a new motorcycle helmet. When I ride, I always wear sunglasses, and I like to...
Exemplary
The motorcycle bit was why I was looking at the Ray-Bans in the first place--at the time I was also shopping for a new motorcycle helmet. When I ride, I always wear sunglasses, and I like to listen to music but earbuds block out too much surrounding noise. So I was looking at helmets with built-in visors and Bluetooth, and the Ray-Bans. The Ray-Bans were cheaper, plus I could use them elsewhere.
They let me listen to music but also street noise when I'm riding, and I can control music playback with my voice so I don't have to pull over, take off my gloves, and fish my phone out just to skip a track or switch playlists. It also reads out texts to me so people can reach me easily if necessary when I'm on a longer ride. Or I can pull over and make/take a quick call without taking my helmet off. I can also take pictures and even video of what I can see using voice commands--I don't use this much on or off the bike as I'm very conscious of respecting privacy, but it has clear utility.
One thing I wish it did but it doesn't do is have the capability to ask for directions with voice. It can of course play out directions from Google/Apple Maps when you type the location in before riding, but it would be a killer app to be able to be on the bike and ask for directions to the nearest X, ask about detours around traffic or road blockages, or even just tell me what street I'm on. (It would of course also greatly help visually impaired people, viz. the OP.) It seems like an obvious feature, but instead I'm getting updates that make the AI voice sound like John Cena.
This is interesting. Do you wear hearing protection? If so, do you wear the expensive stuff or simple foam inserts? Can you hear the raybans through the hearing protection at 80mph?
This is interesting. Do you wear hearing protection? If so, do you wear the expensive stuff or simple foam inserts? Can you hear the raybans through the hearing protection at 80mph?
No, I don't use hearing protection while riding. At 650cc, my bike isn't big enough or loud enough to warrant it, and I'm mostly a city rider anyway (Seattle metro area) so very rarely get the...
No, I don't use hearing protection while riding. At 650cc, my bike isn't big enough or loud enough to warrant it, and I'm mostly a city rider anyway (Seattle metro area) so very rarely get the kind of wind noise from going 80mph.
When I had larger touring motorcycles in the past like my 1200cc BMW K-Bike, I was still wearing wired earbuds that functioned as hearing protection--I'd often have them in with no music going. But especially with music, I started to feel like it was blocking out enough ambient noise to be potentially dangerous. But not an issue now.
Pomeroy, 49 years old, recently bought a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and now a voice inside them does all of those things for her and more—from helping her get dressed and prepare meals to sorting laundry and reading books to her 3-year-old granddaughter. She also frequently uses the glasses to get the time of day and current temperature outside the couple’s Warsaw, Ind., home.
...
Facebook parent Meta Platforms didn’t design its souped-up glasses specifically for the visually impaired. But a growing group of blind users like Pomeroy are finding the devices to be more of a life-enhancing tool than a cool accessory for gadget geeks.
“It’s giving significant accessibility benefits at a price point people can afford,” said Jonathan Mosen, an executive director at the National Federation of the Blind, a nonprofit in Baltimore. “We would like to see Meta continue to invest in this.”
Meta’s glasses initially struggled to gain traction with users but have since grown in popularity. They are an important part of the company’s hardware strategy and were promoted in a commercial during the Super Bowl. Still, Meta’s Reality Labs unit, which oversees the product as well as its virtual- and augmented-reality goggles, reported losses of nearly $5 billion in the fourth quarter.
...
Another concern for blind users is that AI assistants in general are prone to making errors, or so-called hallucinations, which may not be apparent. Aaron Preece, who is blind and editor in chief of American Foundation for the Blind’s AccessWorld magazine, said Meta’s glasses recently failed to correctly read the number on the door to his home.
What a cool use of the tech, kinda reminds me of how good Airpods are for those who are hard of hearing. They're (relatively) cheap decent hearing aids which are inconspicuous. A good reminder of...
What a cool use of the tech, kinda reminds me of how good Airpods are for those who are hard of hearing. They're (relatively) cheap decent hearing aids which are inconspicuous. A good reminder of the fact that technology itself isn't evil, its often just misused by evil people.
I like my Airpods, but they’re more conspicuous than my regular hearing aids. Airpods give an impression that I’d rather not be disturbed and might not hear, because they can either block sound or...
I like my Airpods, but they’re more conspicuous than my regular hearing aids. Airpods give an impression that I’d rather not be disturbed and might not hear, because they can either block sound or amplify it. My hearing aids blend in well and might not be noticed at first. (There are also hearing aids that fit entirely into the ear canal and can’t be seen at all.)
However, for people who aren’t sure if they want hearing aids, Airpods do seem easier to experiment with.
That makes sense! I know some folks who like having the option to wear something that looks more mundane and they cost substantially less than normal hearing aids if you don't have good insurance....
That makes sense! I know some folks who like having the option to wear something that looks more mundane and they cost substantially less than normal hearing aids if you don't have good insurance. Great for the folks who don't want to admit they are losing their hearing but still need some help every now and then (aka my dad)
The question for me that will decide whether the tech is evil or not, is whether Meta will require Facebook integration down the line as it did with Oculus VR.
The question for me that will decide whether the tech is evil or not, is whether Meta will require Facebook integration down the line as it did with Oculus VR.
That's a fundamentally outdated question. They won't require a "Facebook account" in the sense it's literally the same login for Facebook - but they do require a Meta account, which could also be...
That's a fundamentally outdated question. They won't require a "Facebook account" in the sense it's literally the same login for Facebook - but they do require a Meta account, which could also be used to sign in to Facebook.
Then regardless of how my point was phrased, the technology requires me to give data collected by its use to Meta, which is functionally the same because Meta is literally Facebook Inc, the parent...
Then regardless of how my point was phrased, the technology requires me to give data collected by its use to Meta, which is functionally the same because Meta is literally Facebook Inc, the parent company of Facebook the platform, given a new name.
I have a pair of these, and I can definitely see the assistive benefits. I specifically got them for two use cases: walking my two large dogs (hands are occupied with leashes) and riding my motorcycle (don't have to take my attention off the road). I was honestly pretty skeptical about the purchase initially and was prepared to return them, but I have found them sufficiently helpful to keep.
I imagine that the "describe what I'm looking at" feature is tremendously useful for visually impaired people. (And the "Be My Eyes" option of course but I don't have any experience of it so can't speak to it.) Also somewhat useful for people with chronic joint pain, for example--I have mild arthritis in my right hand, and the glasses mean I don't have to painfully fumble with my phone to manipulate my playing media or type anything in order to text someone or make a call.
That said, I would definitely echo the concerns around hallucinations and misinformation, it's probably a privacy nightmare as is anything involving Meta, and in the current iteration of the product there are a surprising number of things that it can't do. But I can definitely see a future where better versions of glasses like these are commonly used by visually impaired or otherwise disabled people, particularly because it's what some would probably consider shockingly affordable for a medical device that's assistive to that degree.
How do they specifically help with the motorcycle side of things? As a fellow rider.
The motorcycle bit was why I was looking at the Ray-Bans in the first place--at the time I was also shopping for a new motorcycle helmet. When I ride, I always wear sunglasses, and I like to listen to music but earbuds block out too much surrounding noise. So I was looking at helmets with built-in visors and Bluetooth, and the Ray-Bans. The Ray-Bans were cheaper, plus I could use them elsewhere.
They let me listen to music but also street noise when I'm riding, and I can control music playback with my voice so I don't have to pull over, take off my gloves, and fish my phone out just to skip a track or switch playlists. It also reads out texts to me so people can reach me easily if necessary when I'm on a longer ride. Or I can pull over and make/take a quick call without taking my helmet off. I can also take pictures and even video of what I can see using voice commands--I don't use this much on or off the bike as I'm very conscious of respecting privacy, but it has clear utility.
One thing I wish it did but it doesn't do is have the capability to ask for directions with voice. It can of course play out directions from Google/Apple Maps when you type the location in before riding, but it would be a killer app to be able to be on the bike and ask for directions to the nearest X, ask about detours around traffic or road blockages, or even just tell me what street I'm on. (It would of course also greatly help visually impaired people, viz. the OP.) It seems like an obvious feature, but instead I'm getting updates that make the AI voice sound like John Cena.
Awesome. I am gonna look into these. Thanks for the relatively long reply. <3
This is interesting. Do you wear hearing protection? If so, do you wear the expensive stuff or simple foam inserts? Can you hear the raybans through the hearing protection at 80mph?
No, I don't use hearing protection while riding. At 650cc, my bike isn't big enough or loud enough to warrant it, and I'm mostly a city rider anyway (Seattle metro area) so very rarely get the kind of wind noise from going 80mph.
When I had larger touring motorcycles in the past like my 1200cc BMW K-Bike, I was still wearing wired earbuds that functioned as hearing protection--I'd often have them in with no music going. But especially with music, I started to feel like it was blocking out enough ambient noise to be potentially dangerous. But not an issue now.
https://archive.is/L9jY6
From the article:
...
...
What a cool use of the tech, kinda reminds me of how good Airpods are for those who are hard of hearing. They're (relatively) cheap decent hearing aids which are inconspicuous. A good reminder of the fact that technology itself isn't evil, its often just misused by evil people.
I like my Airpods, but they’re more conspicuous than my regular hearing aids. Airpods give an impression that I’d rather not be disturbed and might not hear, because they can either block sound or amplify it. My hearing aids blend in well and might not be noticed at first. (There are also hearing aids that fit entirely into the ear canal and can’t be seen at all.)
However, for people who aren’t sure if they want hearing aids, Airpods do seem easier to experiment with.
That makes sense! I know some folks who like having the option to wear something that looks more mundane and they cost substantially less than normal hearing aids if you don't have good insurance. Great for the folks who don't want to admit they are losing their hearing but still need some help every now and then (aka my dad)
The question for me that will decide whether the tech is evil or not, is whether Meta will require Facebook integration down the line as it did with Oculus VR.
That's a fundamentally outdated question. They won't require a "Facebook account" in the sense it's literally the same login for Facebook - but they do require a Meta account, which could also be used to sign in to Facebook.
Then regardless of how my point was phrased, the technology requires me to give data collected by its use to Meta, which is functionally the same because Meta is literally Facebook Inc, the parent company of Facebook the platform, given a new name.
Right, I don't think it matters whether you have a Facebook app installed or not. They're the company in control of the entire device.