Assistive devices for the blind have taken great strides forward as technology has gotten smarter and smaller in recent decades. The finger-mounted EyeRing lets users “see” the world around them with a novel voice-activated interface. The 3D printed outer shell houses a tiny camera, a processor, a Bluetooth module and a Li-ion battery.

The EyeRing is connected via BlueTooth to the user’s smartphone. A proprietary Android app is installed on the phone to process the information collected by the camera. By selecting a mode via a voice command, the user can tell the app whether to identify colors, currency, text, or price tag information. Then, it’s as simple as pointing the camera at the object in question and clicking the small button on the side of the device.

The camera takes a picture and sends it to the smartphone, where the app processes it and sends the requested information back to the user via earpiece. Future versions of the EyeRing will include more sensors, more capabilities and an Apple version of the software. While the device is still under development, the team behind it hopes to have a consumer version ready soon for under $100.

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