Toronto-based eSight, which develops wearables allowing the legally blind to see, has launched a new pair of smart glasses.
The company said that its latest smart glasses, eSight 3, allows the legally blind or those living with low vision to see with 20/20 vision. The glasses capture the user’s surroundings and transform the footage into a form more palatable for the blind eye – essentially, filling in each user’s blind spot.
“One of the many ingenious features of eSight 3 is that it simultaneously increases the central field of view of sight while preserving full access to peripheral vision, providing the best of both worlds: unprecedented mobility and high-acuity central vision,” said Dr. Robert Devenyi, chief ophthalmologist at Toronto’s University Health Network said.
When using the device, wearers can shift seamlessly between near, mid and long-range vision thanks to its autofocus. Because of its WiFi and HDMI capabilities, users can also stream content and send pictures and videos.
“eSight 3 is a game-changer for the legally blind,” said Dr. Brian Mech, president and CEO of eSight. “My entire career has been spent engineering sight-enabling technologies, so I can say with some authority that eSight’s world-class lab is the largest and best engineering team, anywhere in the world, that specializes exclusively in developing medical devices that allow the legally blind to actually see and be mobile.”
The company also announced the launch of an affordability program to improve access to the device, which will provide potential users with funding opportunities. These include discounts for clinical study participation, low or no-interest payment plans, tax credits, government support programs, corporate job placements, philanthropic donations, and crowdfunding.
In July 2015, the company was reportedly achieving a public listing via reverse takeover by Damon Capital Corp. However, that deal never went through as eSight pursued a $14 million round.